Proposals for the long-term strategy will be developed by a new Group, fromwhich he has requested a preliminary report by September 1998.
The Group will be chaired by Mr Hoon. He said: ‘I have a keen interest inIT issues relating to the Department’s work and I will ensure that theDepartment takes the lead in developing a strategic framework for the use of ITin support of all aspects of civil justice. The Group will examine the long-termbusiness plans of the Department and the civil justice system more generally inorder to consider the potential for innovation offered by developments ininformation and communication technologies. It will not have any executivefunctions, rather it will act as a forum to capture and evaluate long-term ideasto inform wider strategic planning. The management or development of existing,or currently planned, IT systems falls outside the scope of the Group’s work.
`As part of the strategy development process relevant groups, individuals andbusinesses with an interest in civil justice, including the judiciary, the legalprofession and other Government departments and users, will be consulted.’
Membership of the Group is balanced between Departmental officials andexternal members; the inclusion of the latter is seen as vital in providing abroader perspective to the Group’s work.
The external members of the Group are Sir Brian Neill, Professor RichardSusskind, Bob Assirati (Chief Executive of the Central Computer andTelecommunications Agency), and David Cooke (Director of the Central IT Unit inthe Cabinet Office). The LCD and Court Service representatives are Alan Cogbill(Director of Civil Justice and Legal Aid Reform, Lord Chancellor’s Department),Peter Jacob (Director of Family and Civil Operations, Court Service), Ian Hyams(Head of the Information Services Division of the Court Service) and AndyMaultby (Head of Information Policy Branch, Lord Chancellor’s Department).
The Secretary to the Group is Dominic Hartley, Information Policy Branch,Lord Chancellor’s Department, Selborne House, 54 Victoria Street, London SW1E6QW (telephone: 0171-210 8744; fax: 0171-210 8535; DX 117000; e-mail: dhartley.lcd.sh@gtnet.gov.uk)
