Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL]

moved manuscript Amendment No. 22A: 22A: Clause 22 , page 19, line 13, at end insert— ““(za) that, in proceedings before the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal, justice is done,”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, I apologise for bringing Amendment No. 22A to your Lordships so late in the day. It is a consequence of a discussion with the Minister yesterday about the appropriate wording for an ““interest of justice”” provision. There was a debate on this in Committee, and I draw your Lordships’ attention to the thoughts of my noble friend Lord Newton at that time. In Clause 22, ““Tribunal Procedure Rules””, on page 19 of the Bill, the power to make tribunal procedure rules is to be exercised with a view to doing things set out in four separate categories, two of which require both the tribunal and the upper tribunal to ensure that matters before them are handled ““quickly and efficiently””. In Committee, my noble friend Lord Newton rightly pointed out that, whereas two of the four requirements referred to speed and efficiency, no requirement referred to the interests of justice. He suggested to the Minister that there needed to be more balance in these categories—a suggestion to which she was eager to respond appropriately. The appropriate solution is found in manuscript Amendment No. 22A, on which the Opposition believe there is complete agreement with the Government, and which fulfils the wishes of my noble friend Lord Newton. I am not sure whether my noble friend was speaking for himself or the Council on Tribunals in Committee. Either way, it was a most constructive intervention, and we have done our best to meet the requirements he laid down. I beg to move.