Government turns deaf ear to complaints over court fee rises

Complaints from across the legal profession and consumer groups against the sharp increases in court fees announced earlier this year were rejected by the government last week.The Lord Chancellor laid an order before parliament to introduce court fee increases last month.

But the order was opposed in standing committee last week by Tory MP Nick Hawkins, the shadow spokesman for the Lord Chancellor's Department, and Liberal Democrat legal affairs spokesman John Burnett.

They called for a moratorium on any future rises in court fees, and a public debate on civil courts' funding.

They argued that fee increases - some as high as 35% - would deter poorer litigants from using the courts, and that this would lead to further rises as the government pursues its policy of self-financing for the courts.David Lock, parliamentary secretary at the Lord Chancellor's department, said this was 'like arguing that people are deterred from buying a new car because of the level of vehicle excise duty'.

Poor people are more deterred from court action by lawyers' fees, he said.Opposition to the order was rejected by the standing committee by nine votes to three.Law Society President Robert Sayer said: 'it is disappointing that this issue did not receive the support of MPs'.

He added: 'Court fees act as a barrier to justice for many people, especially those on lower incomes, and increases will continue to make the situation worse.'

Jeremy Fleming