The government has announced plans to reform the tribunal system in a White Paper announced by Tribunals Minister Lord Filkin.
Filkin said the reform of the tribunal system presented the opportunity to look at the whole way that disputes between citizen and state and employer and employee could be resolved.
In addition, the government has appointed Lord Justice Robert Carnwath to act as designate Senior President of Tribunals in advance of legislation which will create the role to lead the tribunal system.
Filkin said the White Paper, Transforming Public Services: Complaints, Redress and Tribunals, set out the government's vision for an improved and seamless system of dispute resolution.
“Sir Andrew Leggatt, in his report Tribunals for Users, identified how tribunals can offer a better service for users. We have already announced our intention to accept the central theme of that report and create within Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) a single tribunal service, bringing together most central government tribunals.
Filkin said the new White Paper went a step further. “The organisation we are creating will be more than just a federation of existing tribunals. This will be a new organisation and a new type of organisation.
“It will have a remit to innovate either through looking at alternative methods of resolving disputes or helping government make clearer more accurate decisions in the first place.
“I expect the tribunals judiciary and staff to work together to provide a range of established and innovative services to tribunal users and to those who currently do not seek redress from the system.
“This approach to proportionate dispute resolution is the first manifestation of the department's new strategy for helping users of the justice system resolve issues without recourse to formal hearings.
“To facilitate this we also intend to create a more unified and cohesive corps of tribunal panel members better equipped to deliver the service users expect.
“To provide the tribunal judiciary with leadership through this time of change and beyond into the new service we intend to create in statute the post of Senior President of Tribunals.”
He added: “Furthermore the White Paper also sets out plans for an Administrative Justice Council, based on the Council on Tribunals which currently supervises the work of tribunals in England, Scotland and Wales.
“The remit of the new Administrative Justice Council will be to look at the whole system of redress.”
The White Paper is available through the DCA website at www.dca.gov.uk.
