All firms involved in litigation have been urged to make their voices heard on a survey into the future of costs.

There are two weeks remaining to respond to the Civil Justice Council’s consultation on guideline hourly rates.

The current rates have been used since 2010 and the consultation will form the basis of a new costs structure coming into force next year.

Mr Justice Foskett, chairman of the costs committee of the CJC, said he wants to hear from claimant and defendant firms in personal injury work, ranging from sole practitioners to large practices.

‘Only by taking part will we be able to ensure that our recommendations reflect your firm’s position and we want to build as complete a picture of the market as we can. It is not our role to favour any one sector or region over another, but we do need responses from all areas of litigation practice throughout the country to ensure that a properly balanced set of recommendations can be made.’

Foskett stressed that all responses will treated in confidence and the information not shared with anyone else.

The surveycloses on 29 November.

The committee will meet in mid-December to consider the results and to consider an expert analysis of all the date available.

The committee has also issued a call for written evidence – and the deadline for submissions is 6 December. The committee expects to hold a small number of oral evidence sessions early next year.

The committee’s report, making recommendations to the master of the rolls (pictured) on rates for 2014 is planned for completion at the end of March 2014. It then falls to the MR to take the decision on setting rates for 2014. This will then become an annual exercise.