15 September 2008
Justice Minister Maria Eagle has made a statement on the publication of the framework for the provision of front office services in civil courts.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Maria Eagle):
On the fifteenth of September 2008 the Board of Her Majesty's Courts Service, with my approval, has published a new framework for the provision of front office services in civil courts.
The new framework consists of national minimum standards for front office service provision and operational guidance to local court managers. The framework does not affect court hearings or the future of particular court buildings.
The minimum standards ensure a coherent but flexible system for providing front office services across the county court network. They guarantee appropriate access to the full range of services currently only delivered through the medium of a full-time public court counter. It will allow local HMCS managers some flexibility, working with the judiciary, to provide services through other and more innovative channels that are tailored to the needs and expectations of the local community, as well as improving overall efficiency and service standards.
The national minimum standards set a level below which the provision of front office services must not fall and introduce safeguards to ensure that any alteration to current arrangements do not deny access to services nor create an additional burden for the public. An appropriate level of local consultation, including Members of Parliament, will be required for all significant alterations.
Copies have been placed in the libraries of both Houses, the Vote Office and the Printed Paper Office, and a PDF version of the framework is available to download from Her Majesty's Courts Service website.
- Framework for the Provision of Front Office Services in the Civil Courts [PDF 243KB, 42 pages]