§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Woolf reforms on the conduct of litigation. [74684]
§ Mr. HoonThe first phase of civil justice reforms will be introduced on 26 April. Those reforms represent a modernisation of the civil justice system, which is aimed at making it quicker, simpler and less costly to its users. Judicial case management will control the conduct of litigation, directing the work to be done in preparing a case for trial. This will ensure the time is in proportion to the complexity of that case and the issues at stake.