Written question asked by Lord Khan of Tooting (Labour) on Thursday, 17 February 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 28 February 2011. It was answered by Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative) on Tuesday, 1 March 2011 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

HM Courts Service

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress has been made on the proposed merger of HM Courts Service and the Tribunals Service.

Answer: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is the new agency which brings together the administration of HM Courts Service and the Tribunals Service. It is due to be launched on 1 April 2011. We expect to have the new senior structure for the organisation in place by early April and implementation of the structural design for the rest of the organisation will be completed by April 2012.The new structure brings together corporate functions to remove duplication and increase the efficiency of the administration. Operating as a single organisation will provide the platform to improve accessibility, drive up the quality of services we offer to the public and provide a more appropriate environment to users. The public consultation—““A Platform for the Future””—which seeks views on these benefits closed on 25 February 2011 and we expect to publish a response in early April. Over the spending review period it is estimated that the integration of HMCS and the Tribunals Service will deliver savings of £112 million.

Secondary information