§ Mr. Frank Fieldasked the Attorney-General whether the Lord Chancellor is satisfied with the current efficiency of the county court system; what assessment has been made of the length of the backlog before the courts; in which areas the delay is most substantial; and how this is likely to be affected by the reduction of over 300 posts in the bailiff service.
§ The Solicitor-GeneralThe Lord Chancellor is satisfied that the county courts are functioning as efficiently as can be expected in view of the constraints to which they are subject. However, there are delays in respect of certain areas of the county courts' work; they vary throughout the country. The area of business in which delays have generally increased and where they are considered most serious is the clerical function of issuing process for the initiation of proceedings and for enforcement.
By reducing the number of bailiffs, the Lord Chancellor will be able, while remaining within his Department's staffing limit, to increase the number of staff carrying out these functions, thus helping to stem further delays and keep pace with the increasing volume of cases.