Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Goodhart (Liberal Democrat). It was answered by Lord Falconer of Thoroton (Labour) on Thursday, 20 October 2005.

Court Fees

Question: Whether they will reconsider their recent decision to make substantial increases in court fees.

Answer: My Lords, the total package of proposals to increase civil court fees, on which we are consulting, represents an average overall increase of 12.5 per cent. The majority of the fees affected have not been raised for at least two years—in the case of the magistrates’ courts, more than 12 years. It is vital to ensure that fees do not become an obstacle to access to justice. The system of fee exemptions and remissions is designed to achieve that for less-well-off citizens. Our programme of work on court fees includes a comprehensive review of the remissions and exemptions system.

Secondary information