Delay refused for fixed-cost civil reforms

The RTA Portal expansion will go ahead on 31 July as planned despite Law Society pleas for the changes to be delayed due to lack of information.

Law Society President, Lucy Scott-Moncrieff warned last week that, with just weeks to go, the government was yet to publish its final version of the procedure rules and explain what transitional provisions would be in place.

Scott-Moncrieff said she has so far seen only a draft of the new protocols, and that solicitors faced “an impossible task of advising their clients about procedures and costs liabilities”.

However, NLJ understands that the Civil Procedure Rules Committee signed off its final version of the rules on Friday, that they have now gone to the Minister for sign-off before being laid before Parliament on Wednesday, and that “no dramatic changes” have been made to the draft version.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson confirmed this week that the reforms will go ahead as planned.

On 31 July, employer’s liability and public liability cases will be brought into the RTA Portal scheme, and the limit will rise from £10,000 to £25,000.

Fixed recoverable costs for the work will be slashed from £1,200 to £500 for cases worth up to £10,000, with £800 recoverable for cases worth up to £25,000, and £900 and £1,600 recoverable for low- and high-value employer’s and public liability cases.