Peter Glover (Guest column, 24 April) is absolutely right to be concerned about the bleak outlook which will inevitably result from the government’s obsession with IT in courts and tribunals.

Throughout my more than 30 years in the judiciary, I never had much cause to be sanguine about the competence of many middle-ranking and most senior civil servants. I well remember when a new IT system was set up in what was then the disability appeal tribunal central office, where I was resident judge. There was a serious error in one of the computer-generated standard letters — although the administrators had not seen fit to run those letters past the judiciary for approval.

I was told that the letter could not be changed because it would cost £15,000 (a significant sum now, let alone in those days) for the privilege of being able to access the computer program and change it.

I was lost for words how such a silly situation could have arisen. No doubt the civil servants now in charge of IT for the judiciary are of a different calibre. Aren’t they?

Dr Stephen Pacey, Newark

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