The Scottish Civil Justice Council (SCJC) today published its Annual Report for 2013/14 and Annual Programme for 2014/15.
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The Annual Report describes the range of activity carried out by the SCJC in its first year of operation, including recommendations made, rules prepared, and a summary of expenditure.  Key achievements include:

• successful establishment of all SCJC committees, with a wide range of work being carried out under them
• consideration of legislation, including the Courts Reform (Sc) Bill and the Tribunals (Sc) Bill
• a full public consultation on draft rules for reporting restrictions
• publication of the Interim Report of the Rules Rewrite Working Group, which sets out the SCJC’s approach to the most comprehensive revision of the rules of the civil courts in Scotland in history.

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As set out in the Annual Programme, the SCJC will build on this work during 2014/15 in the following ways:

• the Rules Rewrite Working Group will issue its final report, setting out in more detail how the aims of harmonisation, modernisation and simplicity of the rules might best be achieved
• the Costs and Funding Committee will report on Sheriff Principal Taylor's recommendations
• drafting will begin on the priority areas for rules to implement courts reform, under the Rules Rewrite Project
• the SCJC will continue to prepare rules required to implement new legislation or developments in case law and to consider improvements to procedures more generally.

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​The Lord President, the Right Hon. Lord Gill, Chairman of the SCJC said:

“The activity described in the Scottish Civil Justice Council’s first Annual Report is remarkable.  The tireless and conscientious efforts of both Council and committee members has made it possible for significant progress to be made in a short period of time.  I offer my heartfelt thanks to them.”

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny MacAskill MSP said:

“I welcome the publication of the Scottish Civil Justice Council’s first Annual Report. The establishment of the Council was a major step in the reforms we are making to the justice system. The Council will play a crucial role in the implementation of many of these reforms, including those that are provided for in the Courts Reform Bill.  I would like to offer my congratulations and thanks to all the members for their work so far and look forward to working with the Council to continue the progress in reforming our civil justice system to make it more accessible and more efficient. ”

For further information please contact: Ondine Tennant at

scjc@scotcourts.gov.uk  Tel: 0131 240 6769.