To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what arrangements are in place to compensate those who experience a loss of earnings as a result of jury service but who are self-employed or running new businesses and have as yet no track record of their earnings; and what arrangements are in place to provide appropriate levels of financial compensation for those jurors who draw a pension but also take on short-term contracted work. (211040)

All claims submitted for loss of earnings as a direct result of jury service, whether the juror is salaried, self-employed, or on temporary contracts, must be supported by the appropriate certificate or supporting documentation. Where an individual is running a new business and as yet there is no track record of earnings, some evidence of loss of earnings must be obtained, e.g. an authenticated letter from someone who would have offered work, quoting the remuneration or, other such documentary evidence that is available, subject to the approval by a senior officer at the Crown court. This is necessary to ensure that public money is spent carefully and the jury system is not open to abuse or fraud.

Limits on the allowance levels for financial loss are the same for self-employed and jurors on temporary contracts are they are for salaried jurors.