No Costs Council!

Despite the recommendations of Lord Jackson to set up a new Costs Council as an independent body to deal with costs issues including setting hourly rates each year, reviewing fixed cost levels etc, the Government has decided that setting the guideline rates will be dealt with by a new sub-committee of the Civil Justice Council, with other costs issues to be dealt with by the Ministry of Justice (which may seek advice from the sub-committee). The Advisory Committee on Civil Costs is to be abolished.