Up to date information on Lord Carter's changes can be found within the Client Area of our website.

On 8th May the updated RAGFS changes to the software were made available to select chambers. With Mountain Software having been instrumental in the discussions on the way that the scheme should be implemented in chambers, internal testing has now been undertaken and the product is currently being evaluated by those selected chambers. The software will be made available to all chambers this month as agreed with the Bar Council.

The software is of course easy to use and is intuitive keeping the management of Graduated Fee Claims relatively simple. Managing the tricky issue of using external advocates is also straightforward and guidance notes for this can be found in the client area. During the next few weeks we will also be lining up presentations of the software so that all users can easily understand how to process and manage claims. Please check the client area for updates on when these presentations will be taking place.

Whilst the software will be available on time please remember that the Court Service are not yet in a position to make any payment to you as their IT systems are not in place to handle the claims. Their current estimate for issuing payments on all claims for work carried out from May onwards is now sometime during July. This does mean that any claims you send during May and June will not be processed until their IT systems have been updated.

Further information about the progress of the RAGFS changes to the software can be found within the client area of the website.

As of 6th February 2007, EDS have not produced their report regarding the specification work & changes to be made to the Court Service's CREST system.

Until this is supplied, it is difficult for the Bar IT Providers to complete their specification work due to not knowing how the Court Service are requiring information from Chambers to be supplied.

The Bar Council are still seeking to clarify a couple of outstanding VAT issues but in relation to the EDS report, they are exerting as much pressure as they can on the LSC and Court Services to get this report delivered as soon as possible.

Carter IT Group Meeting - 18/01/2007

At the above meeting held at the Bar Council's offices a copy of Timothy Dutton QC's consultation document on the draft Funding Order was supplied to the Bar IT providers and advised that a meeting was being held that evening (the 18/01/2007) to discuss with the DCA the Bar Council's proposed changes to the draft Funding Order.

At the previous meeting the group was informed EDS will be supplying a report regarding the proposed changes to the Court Service's CREST system, but unfortunately it had not been received.

The LSC representative advised the group the EDS report will be supplied by the 24/01/2007, and the delay should not impact the 30/04/2007 delivery date for when the scheme is coming in.

During the meeting a copy of the final version of the Bar Council's draft Protocol document was supplied to the Bar's IT providers for consideration. This final version had been sent out to Chambers the previous evening for consultation on.

The group was informed that negotiations were still taking place with the DCA regarding structural changes to 'Cracked' & 'Guilty Plea' case timelines. Regarding this point, a warning was provided by the Court Service representative saying any such changes in the Statutory Instrument may cause delay in implementing the scheme by the 30/04/2007.

During this meeting the Bar IT providers were given an opportunity to raise any issues regarding the draft Funding Order and one of the main issues raised concerned the payment of VAT on claims submitted by Instructed Advocates where non-VATable Substitute Advocates are to be paid out of the Basic Cost fee.

It was decided further consultation would be needed with HMRC and a further meeting be required with the DCA to discuss the outcome of it.

The Bar IT representatives re-iterated that unless this issue can be resolved quickly, progress will be severely hampered and the date of the 30/04/2007 will not be met.

The next meeting for this group was agreed to be at 9.30am on Tuesday 20th February 2007.

Carter IT Group Meeting - 21/12/2006

This meeting, held at the Bar Council's offices and chaired by Michael Bowes QC, was set-up to bring all relevant parties around the table to discuss the introduction of the 'Revised Advocates Graduated Fees Scheme' coming into force on the 30th April 2007.

At this meeting a copy of the draft Funding Order was supplied to the Bar's IT providers after The Court Service had supplied EDS (the Court Service's supplier of the CREST system) a copy of the draft Funding Order the previous week. The group was advised by the LSC's representative that EDS are producing a full specification document based on the draft Funding Order and this should be completed by the 12/01/2007.

The group was also advised there were areas in the draft Funding Order still under discussion between the Bar Council and the DCA and that the Bar have until the 26th of January to discuss the draft Funding Order with the DCA and to make changes before the Funding Order is signed off.

The LSC and DCA representatives said they do not currently see any problems with the 30/04/2007 deadline but this will become clearer upon receipt of EDS's specification document.

To assist the Bar IT providers, a draft copy of the Bar Council's Protocol document was supplied and Mountain Software agreed to produce a feedback document by the 05/01/2007 regarding it and the draft Funding Order.

The next meeting for this group was agreed to be at 9.30am on Thursday 18th January 2007.