Commons Sense

House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement

Infrastructure Planning and Judicial Review Reform

23 January 2025 · Ministry of Justice

Proposed by Sarah Sackman Lab Finchley and Golders Green

Parliamentary Procedure

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

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At a glance

Key points

  • Government announces reforms to streamline judicial review process for NSIPs
  • Reforms include reducing legal challenges from three to one attempt
  • Mandatory case management conferences and target timescales will be introduced

Issue summary

The statement addresses changes to the statutory judicial review process for infrastructure planning cases under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) regime.

Action requested

The Government is announcing reforms to streamline the judicial review process for NSIPs, including reducing legal challenges from three attempts to one, introducing mandatory case management conferences, and setting target timescales. The changes aim to reduce delays and costs while maintaining access to justice.

Key facts

  • 58% of decisions under the NSIP regime have been subject to legal challenge.
  • Delays in infrastructure projects can cost up to £121 million per scheme due to legal proceedings.
  • Lord Banner’s independent review into delays caused by legal challenges was published, and a call for evidence closed on December 30.
  • The current paper permission stage will be scrapped, and applications for oral hearings will replace it.
  • Non-mandatory case management conferences will be introduced for NSIP judicial reviews.
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