§ Mr. ClaphamTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his policy on the creation of a fast track procedure for certain types of civil cases; and what plans he has to modify the burden of proof which is carried by the plaintiff. [22359]
§ Mr. HoonThe Lord Chancellor's Department issued a working paper on judicial case management in July 1997, which included proposals for a fast track procedure. A further paper was published at the end of November proposing a limit of £15,000 for fast track cases. It is planned to implement the fast track in April 1999 as part of the Lord Chancellor's Civil Justice Reforms. There are no current plans to change the existing requirements of the burden of proof as they relate to the plaintiff in a civil legal action.