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Re: Consultation on COURT FEES - N244 up to £255 in APRIL - HAVE YOUR SAY
From: Jonathan Djanogly MP
Sent: 30 July 2015 15:16:02 BST
To:
Subject: Re: "Not increase the fee for a general application in civil proceedings to £255" (Case Ref: ZA7942)
Dear Mrs
Thank you for contacting me about the recent increases in court fees.
First of all, I am proud of our justice system and I believe the courts play a critical role in our society, but we must ensure that they are properly funded. This is why the Government introduced a fee to commence proceedings for the recovery of money of 5% of the value of the claim on claims for more than £10,000, subject to a maximum fee capped at £10,000. Setting the value of claims subject to fees at this level meant that 90% of cases would not be affected by the introduction of this fee, therefore, this increase would have only a negligible impact on the overall cost of litigation. It is my understanding that these measures could deliver an estimated £120 million in additional income, which the courts could use to invest in delivering a better service.
You may be interested to know that we decided not to proceed at this stage with the proposal to charge higher fees for commercial proceedings. Furthermore, having listened to the concerns raised during the consultation, we decided not to raise the fee for divorce for the time being. I agree that it is necessary to increase income to the Courts from fees.
Increasing court fees will never be welcome. I believe, however, it is right that those who use the services should make a greater contribution towards their running costs, where they can afford to do so. I am also sure that those who choose to litigate in our courts will continue to recognise the outstanding qualities our legal services offer, and the excellent value for money they provide.
Thank you again for contacting me on this issue.
Yours sincerely
Jonathan Djanogly
From: Jonathan Djanogly MP
Sent: 30 July 2015 15:16:02 BST
To:
Subject: Re: "Not increase the fee for a general application in civil proceedings to £255" (Case Ref: ZA7942)
Dear Mrs
Thank you for contacting me about the recent increases in court fees.
First of all, I am proud of our justice system and I believe the courts play a critical role in our society, but we must ensure that they are properly funded. This is why the Government introduced a fee to commence proceedings for the recovery of money of 5% of the value of the claim on claims for more than £10,000, subject to a maximum fee capped at £10,000. Setting the value of claims subject to fees at this level meant that 90% of cases would not be affected by the introduction of this fee, therefore, this increase would have only a negligible impact on the overall cost of litigation. It is my understanding that these measures could deliver an estimated £120 million in additional income, which the courts could use to invest in delivering a better service.
You may be interested to know that we decided not to proceed at this stage with the proposal to charge higher fees for commercial proceedings. Furthermore, having listened to the concerns raised during the consultation, we decided not to raise the fee for divorce for the time being. I agree that it is necessary to increase income to the Courts from fees.
Increasing court fees will never be welcome. I believe, however, it is right that those who use the services should make a greater contribution towards their running costs, where they can afford to do so. I am also sure that those who choose to litigate in our courts will continue to recognise the outstanding qualities our legal services offer, and the excellent value for money they provide.
Thank you again for contacting me on this issue.
Yours sincerely
Jonathan Djanogly
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