ALR and others -v- Chancellor of the Exchequer (anonymity order)
Administrative CourtCivilHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order
Case number: AC-2024-LON-004232
In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Administrative Court
In the matter of an application for judicial review
10 January 2025
Before:
The Hon. Mr Justice Chamberlain
Between:
The King
on the application of
(1) ALR (by their Litigation Friend ASG)
(2) ALN (by their Litigation Friend ALP)
(3) ABC (by their Litigation Friend AON)
(4) AON
(5) ALT (by their Litigation Friend ALV)
(6) ALV
(7) AMB (by their Litigation Friend AMY)
(8) AMY
(9) AMR (by their Litigation Friend AMF)
(10) AMF
(Claimants)
-v-
Chancellor of the Exchequer
(Defendant)
and
Commissioners of HM Revenue and Customs
(Interested Party)
Order
- Anonymity:
(a) Pursuant to CPR 39.2(4) and s. 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998:
(i) the names of the claimants and their litigation friends are to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in public; and
(ii) the Claimants and their litigation friends are to be referred to orally and in writing by reference to the ciphers set out in the heading above.
(b) Pursuant to s. 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, there must be no publication of the identity of any of the Claimant or their litigation friends, or of any matter likely to lead to their identification, in any report of, or otherwise in connection with, these proceedings.
(c) Pursuant to CPR 5.4C(4):
(i) the parties must within 7 days file a redacted copy of any statement of case filed, omitting the name, address and any other information likely to lead to the identification of any of the Claimants or their litigation friends;
(ii) if any statement of case subsequently filed includes information likely to lead to the identification of any of the Claimants or their litigation friends, a redacted copy omitting that information must be filed at the same time;
(iii) unless the Court grants permission under CPR 5.4C(6), no non-party many obtain a copy of any unredacted statement of case.
(d) Any person wishing to vary or discharge this Order must make an application, served on each party.
- This order is to be served by the Court on the parties in AC-2025-LON-000053.
- By Friday 10 January 2025, the Claimants are to exchange with the claimants in AC- 2025-LON-000053 copies of the claim papers, redacted to preserve the anonymity of the Claimants and their litigation friends.
- The application for expedition and directions is to be considered at a hearing at 2pm on 17 January 2024 together with the like issues in AC-2025-LON-000053. The application by the Claimants in that claim for joinder with this claim is to be considered at the same time.
- The parties are to make short written submissions (maximum 5 pages) on the application for expedition and a rolled-up hearing by 4pm on Wednesday 15 January 2025.
REASONS
Anonymity: The Claimants are children and their parents. The educational circumstances of the children are central to the claim. The children have a reasonable expectation of privacy in respect of those circumstances. There are accordingly are apparently compelling reasons for the limited derogations from the principle of open justice in paragraph 1.
Hearing on 17 January 2025: This claim challenges the imposition of VAT on private school fees. Although time for filing and service of the AoS has not expired, it is appropriate that the application for directions and a rolled-up hearing be considered at a hearing. The application in AC-2025-LON-000053 for joinder with this claim should also be considered at the same time.
Signed: Mr Justice Chamberlain
Date: 10/01/25