Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to publish the outcome of the Ogden discount rate consultation.

The personal injury discount rate set by the Lord Chancellor for England and Wales under section 1 of the Damages Act 1996 was reduced from 2.5% to minus 0.75% on 20 March following a review. The Lord Chancellor is required by law to make sure the rate is not inappropriate.

On 7 September, the Ministry of Justice published and invited comments on draft legislation that would change the way in which the discount rate is set. The Justice Select Committee is conducting a pre-legislative scrutiny inquiry into the draft legislation.

The Government will respond to the Committee’s conclusions and other comments received on the draft legislation within two months of the publication of the Committee’s report.