Administration of Justice Act 1973

7 Extension of power to refer proceedings or questions arising in proceedings in county courts to arbitration or for inquiry and report

(1) In section 92 of the County Courts Act 1959 (which enables the judge, but not the registrar, of the court to refer proceedings to arbitration with the consent of the parties) there shall be made the following amendments—

(a) for subsection (1) there shall be substituted the following—

“(1) A county court may, in such cases as may be prescribed, order any proceedings to be referred to arbitration (whether with or without other matters within the jurisdiction of the court in dispute between the parties) to such person or persons (including the judge or registrar) and in such manner and on such terms as the court thinks just and reasonable.”; and

(b) in subsection (2), for the word " judge " there shall be substituted the word " court ".

(2) In section 93 of that Act (which enables the judge to refer proceedings or questions arising in proceedings for inquiry and report) there shall be made the following amendments—

(a) in subsection (1), at the end, there shall be inserted the words " and, in such cases as may be prescribed by and subject to county court rules, the registrar may refer to a referee for inquiry and report any question arising in any proceedings. "; and

(b) in subsection (2), after the word " judge ", there shall be inserted the words " or, as the case may be, the registrar ".