§ Mr. LockTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to extend automatic exemption from the requirements to pay fees(a) in (i) county court and (ii) High Court proceedings to litigants in receipt of (1) income-based jobseeker's allowance, (2) family credit and (3) disability working allowance and (b) in family proceedings to litigants in receipt of (x) family credit and (y) disability working allowance; and if he will make a statement. [9154]
§ Mr. HoonThe Lord Chancellor has announced his intention to review the structure of civil court fees. As part of that review, he intends to examine the basis on which remissions are granted and to consider whether it would be appropriate for other categories of benefit to give rise to an automatic exemption from the liability to pay court fees. In Family Proceedings exemption from fees is already granted automatically to those in receipt of family credit as well as those in receipt of income support or of advice and assistance under the Green Form scheme. Other forms of benefit are in practice taken into account by court staff, to whom the day-to-day exercise of the Lord Chancellor's power to reduce or remit fees is delegated.