The Supreme Court Annual Report 2013
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The Supreme Court AnnualCourt ReportAccountsThe Supreme and 2012–2013 The Supreme Court Annual Report and Accounts 2012–2013 The Supreme Court Annual Report and Accounts 2012–2013 Annual Report presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 54(1) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. Accounts presented to the House of Commons pursuant to Section 6(4) of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000. Accounts presented to the House of Lords by Command of Her Majesty. Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 20 May 2013. HC 3 London: The Stationery Office £21.25 © Crown Copyright 2013 You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ doc/open-government-licence/ or email: [email protected]. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at: [email protected] You can download this publication from www.supremecourt.gov.uk ISBN: 9780102983234 Printed in the UK by The Stationery Office Limited on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office ID 2557463 05/13 Printed on paper containing 75% recycled fibre content minimum. The Supreme Court Annual Report and Accounts 2012–2013 4 Contents one two three four FOREWORD AND SETTING DIRECTION: THE SUPREME COURT SERVING THE UK AND INCREASING INTRODUCTION OUR OBJECTIVES AND JUSTICES BEYOND: JURISDICTION ACCESSIBILITY: OPERATING CONTEXT AND CASEWORK (A) UKSC COMMUNICATIONS AND (B) JCPC EXTERNAL RELATIONS Foreword 06 Our mission 09 Appointments 15 (A) UKSC 19 A warm welcome to 37 Introduction 07 Our strategic objectives 09 during the year Overview of 19 visitors Our values 10 Valedictories for Lord 16 jurisdictions Educating and 37 Brown, Lord Phillips Rules and Practice 19 inspiring Maintaining effective 11 and Lord Walker relationships with all Directions Explaining our role 38 jurisdictions in the Possible changes to 17 The procedure 20 Working with media 40 the selection process United Kingdom and for appealing: A user-focused 41 the jurisdictions which Other appointments 17 permission to appeal online presence use the JCPC (PTA) applications Listening to our users 42 The United Kingdom 11 Appeals 20 Maintaining links 43 Judicial Committee 12 Sitting Days 21 with Middlesex of the Privy Council References to the 25 (JCPC) Court of Justice of the Policy Developments 13 European Union Size of panels hearing 26 cases Cases and Judgments 26 (B) JCPC 32 Overview of 32 jurisdictions Rules and Practice 32 Directions The procedure for 32 Appealing Appeals 33 References 34 Sitting Days 34 Cases and Judgments 34 Supreme Court Annual Report 2012–2013 5 five six seven eight annex SHARING GOOD SUPPORTING THE COURT: MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTS PRACTICE: CORPORATE SERVICES COMMENTARY INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Judicial visitors 45 Our governance 53 Management 65 Remuneration 70 Jurisdictions where 99 (Delegations, Who’s who: 54 Commentary Report the Privy Council is Individuals) Membership of Statement of 75 the final Court of Lawyers and 46 Management Board Accounting Officer’s Appeal Academics and Committees responsibilities Diplomats, Ministers 46 Our People 56 Governance 75 and Officials Our information and 58 Statement Sharing good practice: 48 resources, and how Audit Certificate 80 Justices’ international we manage them Statement of 82 links Our building, your 60 Parliamentary Supply German 48 building Statement of 83 Constitutional Court Dealing with 63 Comprehensive Net India 46 complaints Expenditure Visits by individual 49 Statement of 84 Justices of the UKSC Financial Position International 51 Statement of Cash 85 Association for Court Flows Administration Statement of Changes 86 European Judicial 51 in Taxpayers' Equity assistant Notes to the 87 Costs 51 Department Resource Accounts Supreme Court Annual Report 2012–2013 6 foreword BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SUPREME COURT LORD NEUBERGER Having succeeded Lord Phillips in October also go to the Lord Chief Justices of England 2012, I am writing my first foreword to an and Wales, and of Northern Ireland, and to Annual Report of the UKSC and JCPC. the Lord President of the Court of Session for their assistance in making judges available I would like to start by paying tribute to my for this purpose. predecessor for all that he did to establish the UKSC as an institution separate from the The Supreme Court was very sorry to say United Kingdom Parliament, serving all the goodbye to Lord Brown in the early part jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. Whilst of the year, and to Lord Walker who had there is much about the work here that is to retire towards the end of the year, each familiar from my time as a Lord of Appeal having reached the age of 75. Their wisdom in Ordinary between 2007 and 2009, there and experience will be greatly missed by us have been significant improvements in the all. A reference to the valedictory remarks way in which the Justices go about their made about Lord Walker in court on 14 business, as well as in the way in which the March can be found elsewhere in the report. Justices are supported. Above all, there have been great improvements to the openness, The report summarises the substantial work visibility and accessibility of the Court. that has taken place in order to fulfil the Business Plan for the UKSC and JCPC. My All the Justices deserve gratitude for their thanks, and those of all the Justices, go to hard work during a challenging few months. Jenny Rowe, the Chief Executive and the staff We have been short of a Justice since October of the Supreme Court for their hard work and when Lord Dyson succeeded me as Master support over the past year. of the Rolls. During the period since then the Court has had to consider a number of heavy We look forward to the forthcoming year. and demanding cases. For this, and other reasons, I welcome the fact that the selection commission process has been completed and that two new Justices will be sworn in on 9 April. I am very grateful to those judges from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland who have sat in both the UKSC and the JCPC to help us out. My thanks Supreme Court Annual Report 2012–2013 7 introduction BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE JENNY ROWE I have pleasure in presenting the Annual There have been some changes in Report and Accounts for the UKSC and JCPC staff over the year. The Deputy Head of for the financial year 2012–13. Communications was promoted to head that team and we welcomed a new Deputy This has been a year of consolidation in some Head who joined from outside the Court. Our areas, whilst in others we have continued temporary Assistant Librarian left to take up to make changes of our own, as well as a post at Lincoln’s Inn and her successor took to respond to significant changes in the up his post in November. We also appointed a environment in which we operate. We have new Finance Manager and are well advanced now achieved full integration of the UKSC in the process to identify a new Information/ and JCPC staff and, in the Registry, all staff Customer Services Officer to replace one who have been trained to support the work of left at Christmas. both courts. The new finance system has bedded in and has successfully supported this We also, of course, had to say goodbye to year's audit. We have continued to review our some Justices. Lord Brown retired on 9 April, external contracts with a view to ensuring the as the longest-serving Judge in the UK. He most appropriate service for our specific needs is much missed by all. Whilst congratulating and the best value for money. The details are Lord Dyson on his appointment as Master covered elsewhere in the Report but we are of the Rolls we were sorry to see him go. pleased with the outcomes we have achieved, Lord Phillips retired from the Court on 30 which will make a contribution to our being September, but has continued to keep closely able to manage within our Spending Review in touch with the Court and developments settlement for the next financial year. which affect our operation and administration. I remain personally grateful for all the support During the year we have been engaged with he provided during his tenure as President. We the Ministry of Justice on potential changes have also recently seen Lord Walker retire and to the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. We we wish him a long and happy retirement. anticipate those changes will form part of the Crime and Courts Act, which is expected to In April Lord Carnwath replaced Lord Brown; receive Royal Assent in April/May 2013. and in October we welcomed Lord Neuberger who became the second President of the Towards the end of this year we welcomed Supreme Court. our 250,000th visitor to the building. This demonstrates the success we have achieved The success of any organisation depends to in enhancing the openness and accessibility of a large extent on its staff and I am grateful the highest court in the United Kingdom, as to all permanent members of staff, as well well as of the JCPC. as those staff who provide essential services, such as security, cleaning, and catering under outsourced contracts, for everything they have done to ensure the Supreme Court and JCPC work smoothly. Supreme Court Annual Report 2012–2013 8 Supreme Court Annual Report 2012–2013 9 section one setting direction: our objectives and operating context Our Mission The mission of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (UKSC) is to ensure that the President, Deputy President and Justices of the Court can deliver just and effective determination of appeals heard by the Court, in ways which also best develop the Rule of Law and the administration of justice.