Service in England and Wales

Minutes of the CPR Committee meeting—6 December 2024

The minutes of the CPR Committee (CPRC) meeting of 6 December 2025 (conducted in a hybrid format at The Rolls Building (Royal Courts of Justice) and via video conference) cover a number of issues including Closed Material Procedure, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP), the Online Procedure Rule Committee, the outcome of the Workplace Claims consultation, the Service Sub-Committee, the Lacuna Sub-Committee and the contents of the winter Statutory Instrument and Practice Direction update.

Discontinuing claimants must pay defendant’s costs despite allegations of interference (BB and others v Al Khayyat and others)

Dispute Resolution analysis: This is a judgment considering the applicable presumption in relation to costs in the event of discontinuance under CPR 38.6. It confirms that the presumption that the discontinuing claimant will pay the other parties’ costs is a strong one and will apply unless the court is persuaded, on the balance of probabilities, that the defendants’ conduct has been unreasonable and has brought about the collapse of the proceedings. Written by Phillip Patterson, barrister, Gatehouse Chambers.

MoJ announces reduction in CFO’s interest rates

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced a decrease to the interest rates for the Courts Funds Office's (CFO) special and basic accounts. The interest rate on special accounts has decreased from 4.75% to 4.50% and the interest rate on basic accounts has decreased from 3.56% to 3.38%. The decrease was implemented on 3 March 2025 in response to the Bank of England’s base rate decrease on 6 February 2025 and to ensure that the CFO Service can continue to meet operational costs.

Anonymity orders issue pending: Court of Appeal awaits forthcoming Supreme Court decision (PMC v A Local Health Board)

PI & Clinical Negligence analysis: In a recent decision the Court of Appeal gave guidance as to how practitioners and the courts should approach requests for anonymity orders pending the forthcoming substantive decision in PMC v A Local Health Board. Permission was also given for the Personal Injury Bar Association (PIBA) and the Official Solicitor to intervene in the substantive appeal, when it is heard following the forthcoming decision of the Supreme Court in Abbasi v Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and others. Written by Sarah Prager KC, barrister at Deka Chambers.