The Ministry of Justice has told insurers that personal injury reform will be introducd in the next two months.
Insurers will have to wait at least another two months for the government to introduce reforms to the personal injury claims process, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has told them.
During a meeting last week with justice minister Bridget Prentice, ABI director general Stephen Haddrill was told an announcement on the next stage of the process will be made in the next couple of months.
“Obviously there will be disappointment in terms of the delay,” said an ABI spokesman. “We pressed her on this and were told it would emerge in the next two months.”
The MoJ had initially said its response would be released early in the New Year.
In January, Prentice told the House of Commons the government aimed to publish the reforms, expected to fast track the claims process, introduce fixed fees and extend the small claims limit, by the end of March, but that deadline has also passed with no update.
Sources say the government has struggled with the reforms in the face of pressure by unions which want to maintain the status quo because of the referral fees they are paid by solicitors for providing details of prospective personal injury clients.
The MoJ is said to be considering compromises such as exempting industrial claims from the reforms, which are expected to abolish referral fees.
