PRESS RELEASE
1 April 2010

Tribunal Reform continues with further transfers

The Northern Ireland Court Service has today assumed responsibility for running the Appeal Tribunals and the Rent Assessment Panel.

This is a further step towards the creation of a unified courts and tribunals service for Northern Ireland.

The Court Service already runs all of Northern Ireland’s courts and most tribunals.

With the devolution of policing and justice on 12 April, the Court Service will be renamed ‘The Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service’.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. The Appeals Tribunals hear appeals made against decision makers in Social Security Agency, Child Support Agency, Inland Revenue, Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Land and Property Services.
2. The Rent Assessment Panel is an independent body which was established to determine appropriate rents for properties in the private renting sector.
3. The Appeals Service has approximately 80 staff located in Belfast and Omagh. Appeals are heard at various locations across the province.
4. In July 2009, the Northern Ireland Executive agreed that the Court Service should assume responsibility for the administration of all NI departmental tribunals on a phased basis.
5. The first phase of this transfer took place in September 2009 when Court Service assumed responsibility for the administration of five NI departmental tribunals - Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (DE tribunal); Mental Health Review Tribunal; Care Tribunal, tribunal established under Schedule 11 of the Health and Personal Social Services (NI) Order 1972 (DHSSPS tribunals) and the Lands Tribunal (DFP).
6. In addition to the above, the Court Service has responsibility for a further six tribunals and provides support in respect of UK wide tribunals sitting in Northern Ireland, including the Tax and VAT tribunals; Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and the Information Tribunal.

More information about the work of the tribunals administered by the Northern Ireland Court Service, including contact details for each, can be found on our website at www.courtsni.gov.uk.

If you have any further queries about this or other court related matters please contact: