Small Claims Court

HC Deb 12 April 1994 vol 241 cc1-2W

Mr. French

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average cost to his Department of processing a small claim which receives a preliminary hearing and final hearing in the small claims court.

Mr. John M. Taylor

The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. French

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what expenditure his Department has allocated in its 1994–95 budget for the provision of information relating to personal injury claims for the small claims court.

Mr. John M. Taylor

The Lord Chancellor published a consultation paper on 29 October 1993, setting out a proposed new procedure which would bring small personal injury claims into the small claims court. This would be likely to involve the provision of both new standard forms and leaflets providing information to litigants. The Lord Chancellor is currently evaluating the large number of responses received to the consultation. The precise costs of providing information to litigants cannot be assessed until the details of the procedure have been finalised.