Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending existing rules on mediation in the civil courts to the tribunals system, in the context of proposed changes to the Office of the Senior President of Tribunals in the Courts and Tribunals Bill.

The Government recognises the value of mediation and other forms of dispute resolution in helping parties resolve disputes more swiftly and consensually. We continue to explore and assess the potential merits of dispute resolution across different jurisdictions, including tribunals.

However, any changes to the Tribunal Procedure Rules will be made by the Tribunal Procedure Committee, an independent statutory body, who are responsible for the making of rules that govern tribunal practice and procedure. The provisions in the Courts and Tribunals Bill relating to the office of the Senior President of Tribunals concern judicial leadership and do not alter day-to-day decision-making in tribunals cases.