HC Deb 22 October 1998 vol 317 cc1167-8W
Mr. Stinchcombe

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the amount of training in mediation services which has been offered to members of the judiciary. [54677]

Mr. Hoon

Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board. As part of its programme to support the civil justice reforms, the Judicial Studies Board held a series of seminars for all full-time judges who deal with civil cases. They included presentations by three mediators and a report on the mediation pilot scheme at Central London County Court. For the second stage of training, the board is planning further seminars for all full-time civil judges to develop a common approach to the reforms. These seminars will include a presentation designed to assist judges in identifying cases suitable for mediation.

Mr. Stinchcombe

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what studies have been undertaken or evaluated by his Department in respect of the potential role which could be played by mediation in medical negligence cases; and if he will make a statement. [54674]

Mr. Hoon

In her evaluation of the Central London County Court mediation pilot scheme, Professor Genn gathered data according to case type; only one case concerning medical negligence was mediated, and it did not settle. It would be inappropriate to draw conclusions from such a small sample. I await with interest the evaluation of the NHS Executive sponsored mediation pilot project which I understand will be completed shortly.

Mr. Stinchcombe

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment his Department has made, or plans to make, of the potential implications of a compulsory mediation stage in the litigation process in terms of reducing (a) delays and (b) costs in litigation; and if he will make a statement. [54678]

Mr. Hoon

The Government are considering the role of mediation in the civil justice system in the light of Professor Genn's findings on the pilot mediation scheme at the Central London County Court.

Mr. Stinchcombe

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment his Department has made of the pilot study of mediation services undertaken at Central London County Court; and if he will make a statement. [54675]

Mr. Hoon

The Lord Chancellor's Department funded Professor Hazel Genn to evaluate the mediation pilot scheme at the Central London County Court. Her report was published in July. It shows that, whilst only a small minority of cases were mediated, of those that were, 62 per cent. reached settlement at the mediation; that mediated settlements were achieved earlier than settlements in non-mediated cases; and that the litigants involved welcomed the opportunity to state their grievance in their own words and to participate in a relatively informal process.

Mr. Stinchcombe

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what meetings have been held by his Department with providers of mediation services concerning the potential role of such services in the civil legal system. [54676]

Mr. Hoon

Officials from the Lord Chancellor's Department have met representatives of ADR Group, and of the Centre for Dispute Resolution to discuss the role of mediation in non-family civil disputes. The Department, with University College London, also organised a major symposium on mediation to which providers of such services were invited.