Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council

The Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council is a Non-Departmental Public Body in the United Kingdom, responsible for supervising and regulating administrative justice and tribunals. It was created by the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, and came into being on the 1 November 2007, under the chairmanship of Baron Newton of Braintree.

Composition

The Council is composed of: [Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, s.44/ Sch.7, paras.1-11]
*The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration; and
*Between ten and fifteen members who are appointed by the Lord Chancellor, the Scottish ministers and the Welsh Ministers.

There is a Scottish committee of the Council composed of:
*The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration;
*The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman;
*Scottish members of the Council.

There is a Welsh committee of the Council composed of:
*The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration;
*The Welsh Public Services Ombudsman;
*Welsh members of the Council.

Functions of the Council

Administrative justice

The "administrative justice system” is the overall system by which decisions of an administrative or executive nature are made in relation to particular persons, including:
*Procedures for making such decisions;
*Law under which such decisions are made; and
*Systems for resolving disputes and airing grievances in relation to such decisions.

The Council is to: [Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, s.44/ Sch.7, para.13]
*Keep the administrative justice system under review;
*Consider ways to make the system accessible, fair and efficient;
*Give advice on the development of the system to:
**Lord Chancellor,
**Scottish Ministers,
**Welsh Ministers, and
**Senior President of Tribunals;
*Refer proposals for changes in the system to those persons; and
*Make proposals for research into the system.

The Council can make reports on any of these issues it thinks appropriate.

Tribunals

The Council is to keep under review, and report on, the constitution and working of the listed tribunals (the tribunals under its supervision), in general and individually. It is also to report on any other matter relating to the listed tribunals or referred to it by the Lord Chancellor, the Scottish and Welsh ministers. The Council may scrutinise and comment on legislation relating to tribunals. [Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, s.44/ Sch.7, paras.14-16]

The listed tribunals will ultimately be the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal created under the 2007 Act [Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, s.44/ Sch.7, para.25(1)] but, during the transitional period 107 existing tribunals were transferred to the supervision of the Council on 1 November 2007. [Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council (Listed Tribunals) Order 2007, SI 2007/2951]

tatutory inquiries

The Council is to keep under review, and report on, the constitution and working of statutory inquiries, any important matter that relates to statutory inquiries or which is referred to it. [Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, s.44/ Sch.7, para.15]

Programme of work

In planning its programme of work, the Council must consider the work of: [Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, s.44/ Sch.7, para.20]
*The Civil Justice Council;
*The Social Security Advisory Committee; and
*The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.

The Council must publish an annual report. [Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, s.44/ Sch.7, para.21]

References

External links

* cite web | url=http://www.ajtc.gov.uk/index.htm | title=Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council | year=2007 | accessdate=2008-03-13