Government announces legislation to introduce claimant data on register of judgements

The Ministry of Justice has announced its response to a Government consultation on the proposal to allow for the names of claimants of money judgments, in the County Court and High Court, to be published on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines in England and Wales. Currently, only the name of the defendant is included on the Register, the name of the claimant is not.

Following the overwhelmingly positive consultation, the Government says that it will now legislate for the inclusion of the name of the claimant. This change will help consumers who have had a default County Court judgment made against them who do not know who the claimant is, regulators and charities to monitor how regulated firms use the courts to enforce debts, and lenders to make more informed credit decisions. The change should also support a better understanding of the nature of indebtedness in England and Wales.

By way of next steps, the Government plans to lay Regulations in Parliament when parliamentary time allows, to allow His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) to provide Registry Trust with the names of claimants, to be included on the Register.

Commenting on the announcement, Mick McAteer, Chair of Registry Trust, which maintains the Register on behalf of the Ministry of Justice, said “This is excellent news. We have been advocating for claimant details to be more readily available for some years. As custodians of the Register, we want the data we hold to benefit defendants, claimants, debt advisers, regulators, the third sector, lenders and policymakers alike and we believe this move is one step in the right direction.

“We look forward to working closely with government on the detailed requirements, timeline and ensuring the protection of data for vulnerable individuals.

“Registry Trust will continue to work across the sector to keep improving the Register to support better data-driven decisions that work for all concerned.”