FRU calls for better consultation and evaluation of court reform

FRU’s evidence to the Justice Select Committee inquiry into Court and Tribunal Reforms has been published. The evidence can be viewed at this link http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/justice-committee/hmcts-court-and-tribunal-reforms/written/97972.html
In our submission we make the following points:
• We acknowledge the welcome investment being made in the court and tribunal system and the fact that the reforms have the potential to increase access to justice for some of our clients.
• We believe that increasing access to justice must clearly become the overriding objective of the reforms and that must be measured in a meaningful way.
• We are concerned that vulnerable and excluded users may be further excluded from access to justice if they are forced to use digital services inappropriately or without appropriate support.
• We recommend that engagement and consultation about the underlying principles of transformation and implementation is made more meaningful.
• We recommend that the Ministry of Justice adopts the recommendations of the Legal Education Foundation report “Developing the Detail: Evaluating the Impact of Court Reform in England and Wales on Access to Justice”. FRU contributed to the working meetings that informed this important report.