TRIBUNALS SERVICE
(CORPORATE) News Release (02/08) issued by The Government News
Network on 2 April 2008
Actions to deliver
a national, unified tribunals system with a strong local presence
are outlined in the Tribunals Service's Business Plan,
published today.
The Business Plan for 2008-09 outlines how the organisation will,
over the coming year, drive forward its strategy to reform its 28
tribunals into a more efficient, independent and user-focused service.
This will involve:
* the opening of the Service's first
administrative support centre, providing effective back office
case administration for a number of tribunals, and developing
plans for two more;
* developing and starting to roll-out a
new network of hearing centres designed to host a number of
tribunals;
* setting up the first Chambers, plus the Upper
Tribunal, for the new two-tier tribunals system outlined in the
Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007;
* delivering a
common IT infrastructure across the entire Tribunals Service
estate, enabling more efficient working between tribunals;
and
* developing new targets and customer service standards to
drive up performance within tribunals.
Work will also take place during the year to bring eight new and
existing tribunals, currently tied to other government
departments, into the Tribunals Service family. They are the
Estate Agents Act Appeals, Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal,
Family Health Service Appeals Authority, the Reserve Forces Appeal
Tribunal, the Adjudication Panel for England, the Agricultural
Lands Tribunal, the Gangmasters Appeal Tribunal and the
Agricultural Dwelling Houses Advisory Committee.
Peter Handcock, Chief Executive of the Tribunals Service said:
"Tribunals deal with more than half a million cases a year,
often involving the most vulnerable people in society. We are
committed to ensuring that the needs of those people are at the
heart of our reform agenda.
"In the two years since we were formed, we have laid the
foundations necessary to ensure a first class service to the
public. We now look forward to building on this in the coming year
in conjunction with our judicial colleagues, and in welcoming more
tribunals to our family."
Notes to Editors
1. Copies of the Tribunals Service Business Plan 2008/09 are
available at http://www.tribunals.gov.uk/publications.htm.
2. Copies of the Tribunals Service strategy 'Delivering the
future: one system, one service' are available from http://www.tribunals.gov.uk/latestnews.htm.
3. The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 received Royal
Assent on 19 July 2007. It contains provisions for a new judicial
and legal framework to complement the Tribunals Service structure,
including the creation of two new tribunals, the First-tier
Tribunal and the Upper Tribunal, into which most existing
tribunals will be transferred. The First-tier Tribunal will be
made up of a number of Chambers. Work on implementing the two
Tribunals during 2008-09 is subject to the Government's
response to the Transforming Tribunals consultation document, see
http://www.tribunals.gov.uk/latestnews.htm,
which is expected in May.
4. The Tribunals Service is an executive agency of the Ministry
of Justice, formed in April 2006 to provide independent
administrative support to central government tribunals and
organisations. Some 28 are currently administered by the Service.
These include employment tribunals, asylum and immigration
tribunals, finance and tax tribunals, social security and child
support appeals and the Information tribunal. For more details see
http://www.tribunals.gov.uk.