Clause 15
Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill
1:15 pm
Vera Baird (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs; Redcar, Labour)
Will it be quicker and cheaper? One imagines that it will be cheaper, because the informality of the tribunals makes them quicker, generally, than courts. Whether they are quicker depends on listing, the number of cases and the backlog in the upper tribunal. Granted that there is frequent discussion about shortages of judicial manpower in the High Court, one imagines that it is likely that cases could be heard more quickly. However, I cannot say more than that. I am told that judicial reviews are being got to court quite quickly now. That is not what it used to be like. I can give no promises as to whether the process will be quicker, but it ought to be cheaper.
The hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey asked me about legal aid. That is an important point. There is not, on the face of it, a right to legal aid in the tribunal system. I have raised that matter and I will write to the hon. Gentleman, if I may, with a more comprehensive answer. There are situations where it is probably not necessary, but there may still be situations that he would continue to be concerned about, so I shall write to him.