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PM to crack down on 'time-wasting' appeals | PM to crack down on 'time-wasting' appeals |
(35 minutes later) | |
David Cameron has promised to crack down on "time-wasting" caused by the "massive growth industry" in legal challenges to government policy. | |
The prime minister told business leaders he would "get a grip" on people forcing unnecessary delays. | |
Judicial review applications would cost more, with less time put aside to to apply and fewer chances to appeal. | |
Mr Cameron also said the government was "too slow" at cutting the deficit, and pledged to speed up the process. | |
In his address to the CBI conference in London, the prime minister said the legal right to a judicial review of decisions, including those on major infrastructure projects, had grown out of control, insisting: "We urgently need to get a grip on this. | |
"So here's what we're going to do: reduce the time limit when people can bring cases; charge more for reviews - so people think twice about time-wasting." | "So here's what we're going to do: reduce the time limit when people can bring cases; charge more for reviews - so people think twice about time-wasting." |
'Hopeless causes' | |
It is unclear yet how much the fees would rise by for review applications or by how much the three-month time limit for applications might be cut. | |
But Mr Cameron said that "instead of giving hopeless cases up to four bites of the cherry to appeal a decision, we will halve that to two". | |
Downing Street figures show more than 11,000 applications for judicial review were made in 2011, compared with just 160 in 1975. | Downing Street figures show more than 11,000 applications for judicial review were made in 2011, compared with just 160 in 1975. |
In his speech, Mr Cameron argued for less Whitehall bureaucracy and greater emphasis on the pursuit of economic growth. | |
He argued that government was "too slow in getting stuff done" and that civil servants must appreciate delays were felt in "businesses going bust, jobs being lost" and "livelihoods being destroyed". | |
"Consultations, impact assessments, audits, reviews, stakeholder management, securing professional buy-in, complying with EU procurement rules, assessing sector feedback - this is not how we became one of the most powerful, prosperous nations on earth," he said. | |
"It's not how you get things done so I am determined to change this." | "It's not how you get things done so I am determined to change this." |
Mr Cameron drew a historical analogy, saying: "When this country was at war in the '40s, Whitehall underwent a revolution. | |
"Normal rules were circumvented. Convention was thrown out. As one historian put it, everything was thrown at 'the overriding purpose' of beating Hitler. | "Normal rules were circumvented. Convention was thrown out. As one historian put it, everything was thrown at 'the overriding purpose' of beating Hitler. |
"Well, this country is in the economic equivalent of war today - and we need the same spirit. We need to forget about crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' - and we need to throw everything we've got at winning in this global race." | "Well, this country is in the economic equivalent of war today - and we need the same spirit. We need to forget about crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' - and we need to throw everything we've got at winning in this global race." |
Mr Cameron added: "In the '50s it took us eight years to design and build the first 50 miles of the M1. Today it can take that long just to widen one section of a motorway. | |
"So we are speeding things up. Since we came to office we haven't just announced a load of road and railways schemes - yes - we have actually got diggers on the ground on the A23, the M62, the M4, M5 and M6. | |
"What's more, it's our ambition to cut the time it takes to upgrade our roads in half." | |
What are your thoughts? Have you ever been involved in seeking a judicial review? Please fill in the form below if you are willing to be interviewed by the BBC. | What are your thoughts? Have you ever been involved in seeking a judicial review? Please fill in the form below if you are willing to be interviewed by the BBC. |