Ministry of Justice

Alternative dispute resolution: annual pledge report 2008-09

Date: 02 March 2010

People negotiating around a desk

A report monitoring the effectiveness of the government's commitment to using alternative dispute resolution across government departments and agencies.


On 23 March 2001, the Lord Chancellor published a formal pledge committing government departments and agencies to settle legal cases by alternative dispute resolution techniques in all suitable cases whenever the other side agreed to it. These annual reports summarise the effectiveness of that pledge.

During 2008/09, alternative dispute resolution has been used in 314 cases, with 259 leading to settlement, saving costs estimated at £90.2 million.