§ Mr. BoatengTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which court has(a) received the most complaints and (b) had to pay out the most 596W compensation for errors and delays; and what plans he has for regular publication of the figures for compensation payments.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe highest number of complaints was received by the Central London county court which also had to pay out the most compensation for errors and delays. In the period January 1993 to March 1994 1,563 complaints were received and £60,636.59 paid out in compensation. Central London county court was created, in 1992, by the merger of the Westminster and Bloomsbury county courts. The process of amalgamation was inevitably difficult and led to a marked reduction in the standard of service. These initial problems are now resolved, and the number of complaints fell to 85 in the first three months of this year.
There are no plans for regular publication of these figures.