Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 40
40
Rejected
Strengthen open justice governance by formalising Data Governance Panel and establishing user group.
Recommendation
The Government should clarify and strengthen the governance structures on open justice. The Senior Data Governance Panel should be formalised and its powers and remit should be defined and published. It is vital that the decisions made by the Panel are as transparent as possible. The positive work of the Media Working Group should be built upon and it should be empowered to make recommendations that are then considered and decided upon by the Senior Data Governance Panel. A separate court information user group should be established to represent the interests of groups other than the media, such as court observers, NGOs, researchers and law tech that can also make recommendations that are considered and decided upon by the Senior Data Governance Panel. (Paragraph 134) The Family Court
Government Response Summary
The government has formalized the Senior Data Governance Panel and will publish its terms of reference and work information in early 2023. However, they do not plan to empower the Media Working Group with policy functions or establish a new court information users’ group, but will explore existing engagement mechanisms via a call for evidence.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
107. As of December 2022, the Senior Data Governance Panel (SDGP) has met 14 times. We can confirm that the SDGP has now been formalised and will continue delivering the advisory remit given to it by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Chief Justice, and Senior President of Tribunals. In early 2023 we will publish its terms of reference and membership, and we will start to publish information about the SDGP’s work. This will provide a greater level of transparency. 108. HMCTS has an established MWG which is chaired by its Director of Communications. It meets every six months (or more regularly if there is a pressing need). Its role is to support ongoing engagement between representatives of the media and HMCTS, to discuss media access to courts and tribunals, and providing information to the media. It does not have a policy function. However, the relevant officials from MoJ policy are also members of the MWG. They listen to feedback and update MWG members on the department’s activity and latest thinking. 109. HMCTS facilitate a number of engagement forums83 to make sure it is collaborating with professional and public user groups on proposals, developments and services within its reform programme, and to better understand users’ needs. This work has helped to shape the future landscape of the courts and tribunals services to achieve the best possible outcomes for all. The groups are not specifically set up to discuss open justice issues, but the topic may be raised as part of wider discussions. 110. Currently, we do not have plans to establish a ‘court information users’ group’. Assessing our current approach to external stakeholder engagement mechanisms is likely to be one of the themes we will explore in the call for evidence we will be launching in 2023. We will carefully consider stakeholders’ views, alongside the conclusions and recommendations in the JSC’s open justice report, before making any future decisions.