The London Maritime Arbitrators’ Association has introduced these new Terms, primarily for arbitrations commenced after 31 December 1986, though applicable by agreement to arbitrations started before 1987. Their object is to provide in a clear and convenient form guidelines aimed at making for greater efficiency and despatch in the conduct of arbitrations, rather than to “institutionalize” LMAA arbitration. The Terms, which record current practice and introduce certain new features, have five schedules covering inter alia jurisdiction, powers, fees, procedure for arbitration on documents, preliminary meetings, and provisions for reconstituting the tribunal to avoid delays.

A Guide to Commercial Court Practice was issued as a Practice Note by Lord Lane, C.J., on 25 July 1986 to promote greater expedition, economy and efficiency in the conduct of commercial business. The Guide is intended, first, to draw attention to certain Rules of the Supreme Court and Practice Directions which tend to be overlooked, and to give notice of certain current practices. Secondly, it implements certain recommendations of a working party of the practitioner members of the Commercial Court Committee. As part of the Civil Justice Review, which has the objective of cutting the delays and complexities of civil litigation, the Lord Chancellor published on 27 November 1986 a consultation document, The Commercial Court, which proposes inter alia an increase in the court’s judicial strength, control of access to the court, and close monitoring of cases, with a special procedure for the more complex ones. One possibility is a wider Business Court or Division which would also cover admiralty cases as well as cases of a broader commercial nature, including company law and intellectual property.

This Order came into operation on 7 November 1986. The new sterling equivalents of the gold franc figures are as follows: