The new coalition government’s decision to leave the draft Civil Law Reform bill out of the Queen’s speech has been greeted with disappointment by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). The omission of the Bill from the Queen’s speech means that the government has decided not to commit to reforms in how compensation is awarded to victims of injury. As a result, present procedures will not change until at least November.
APIL has already criticised the government in recent years: the previous government had failed to act on Law Commission suggestions made in 1999 that damages should be around 50% higher.
Muiris Lyons, APIL president pointed out that whilst the draft bill wasn’t perfect, it did represent the first step in what she called a ‘long overdue’ reform of the English and Welsh damages system.