For some months, I have been working with Registry Trust to campaign for the Government to begin publishing claimant data in county court judgements.
Currently, the information published after a judgement does not include the claimant’s name. This makes it harder for those who fall into debt to settle or to reach an agreement with their creditor, and makes our court system more inefficient and time-consuming.
Publishing claimant data would eliminate this: supporting the most financially-vulnerable in our society, making our justice system fairer, and improving efficiency in the courts.
On 14 June 2023, I led a debate in Westminster Hall to ask the Government to begin publishing claimant data. The Minister confirmed that the Government is considering these proposals and hopes to bring forward the necessary changes. On 22 June 2023, I wrote to the Minister to follow-up on the debate and reinforce the argument for change.
You can watch some of my speech here and you can read the letter below.
Dear Mike,
I am writing following last week’s Westminster Hall debate on the publication of claimant data in county court judgements. Let me begin by thanking you for the collegiate nature of the debate and for your commitment to move this issue forward.
I understand that the Ministry of Justice is now considering proposals to amend the Register of Judgements, Orders & Fines Regulations 2005, to update HMCTS’ digital systems to accommodate any changes, and to avoid exposing consumers to any risks. I look forward to the Ministry concluding its considerations on these matters and, I hope, proceeding with bringing forward the necessary secondary legislation. I would be grateful if you could update me once the Ministry’s considerations have concluded.
During the debate, I offered to facilitate a meeting with the Registry Trust on the publication of claimant data. If you would find this useful as the Ministry undertakes its considerations, please let me know.
Once again, I am grateful to you for confirming your intention to bring this change forward. As was highlighted last week, this issue enjoys cross-party support and provides opportunities to further consumer and business interests alike. I hope that the Government will bring forward the necessary measures in the near future and I will continue to monitor developments closely.
Yours sincerely,
Janet Daby MP