This Order is the tenth commencement order made under the Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22) (“the Act”). It brings into force sections 17 and 28 of and Schedules 9, 10 and 11 to the Act.

Section 17, together with Schedule 9, 10 and 11 which it introduces, makes provision for the establishment of a single County Court for England and Wales, replacing the structure of individual county courts for specific districts, and for the establishment of a family court, replacing the structure of family proceedings spread across magistrates’ court, county courts and the High Court.

Section 28 makes provision to enable social security information, or tax credit or finances information, to be disclosed for the purposes of determining an application for remission of certain fees.

This Order also makes transitional provision to ensure that things done by an individual county court operate appropriately as references to the single County Court (except for things done in relation to proceedings under jurisdiction transferred to the family court, for which separate transitional provision is being made).