Martin Partington: Spotlight on the Justice System

The Administrative Justice Council’s first Annual Report

On 6^th November, the Administrative Justice Council published its first annual report for 2018-19.

The Administrative Justice Council (AJC) was set up in March 2018 and is the successor body to the Administrative Justice Forum. It provides oversight and advice on administrative justice across the UK.  Chaired by the Rt Hon Sir Ernest Ryder, Senior President of Tribunals, the Council seeks to make the administrative justice system more efficient, fair and accessible.

The scale of administrative justice is vast, often called the ‘cinderella’ of the justice system.   It covers all government decisions, including complaints and appeals on immigration and asylum, social security, housing, education, health care, planning, and tax.

Over the year, the AJC has identified four key areas of focus: improving first instance government decision-making; the impact of the courts and tribunals modernisation programme; ombudsman reform and improving the relationship between…