§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for each of the last two years, what was(a) the longest, (b) the shortest and (c) the average wait for an assessment appointment before a taxing master in London; and what is the current expected time scale for obtaining an appointment. [140809]
§ Mr. LockFigures are not available in the format requested. However, over the last two years, bills up to £35,000 in value have been subject to an average wait of six to eight weeks and bills over £35,000 between three and five months. Currently, bills up to £50,000 are subject to an average delay of six weeks and bills over £50,000, five months.
§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, for each of the last two years how many district judges have referred, from their county courts, cost assessments to the Supreme Court Costs Office; and if he will make a statement. [140810]
§ Mr. LockStatistics are not kept in the form requested, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the procedures he has assessed as suitable for benchmarking of costs; and if he will make a statement. [140820]
§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements are in place to collect information about summary assessments of costs after(a) interim and (b) final hearings; and if he will make a statement. [140821]
§ Mr. LockWhile details of these assessments should be retained on court files there are no arrangements in place at present for central collation and processing of the information they contain.
§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he plans to introduce benchmarking of costs; and if he will make a statement. [140819]