To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies on libel cases of the decision of the High Court of Justice of Northern Ireland on Case 2024NIMaster1, delivered on 8 January 2024.
Answered on
19 January 2024
The Government has implemented reforms relating to strategic litigation against public participation (SLAPPs) in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, relating to matters engaging economic crime.
We are committed to introducing targeted legislation to cover other forms of SLAPP litigation, to stop anyone from abusing our legal system and using improper means to intimidate those acting in the public interest.
Reforms provide a statutory definition of SLAPPs, an early dismissal mechanism, and costs protection for SLAPPs cases. Our intention is that journalists subject to SLAPPs in future will benefit from costs protection (determined by the court), which will lessen legal and financial risks associated with lengthy proceedings.
These reforms apply in England and Wales - justice is devolved in Northern Ireland, and any reforms relating to Northern Irish defamation law would be a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive, which is currently undertaking a review of defamation law in Northern Ireland.