Crown Court Backlog 2021-11-09
2021-11-09
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The number of outstanding Crown court cases increased by 23% before the pandemic, causing concern about government's handling.
What is his timescale for clearing the backlog of Crown court cases resulting from the covid-19 outbreak?
We are already seeing results with the number of outstanding cases in magistrates courts dropping by around 80,000 since its peak. The spending review provides an extra £477 million for the criminal justice system to reduce Crown court backlogs from 60,000 today to an estimated 53,000 by March 2025.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a specific timeline or commitment beyond the reduction estimate provided.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The Crown court backlog had already increased by 23% before the pandemic, raising questions about government's pre-pandemic decisions.
The Government try to blame covid-19 for the backlog, but the Crown court backlog had already increased by 23% in the year leading up to the pandemic. Does the Minister regret the decision to slash sitting days in 2019?
The hon. Lady's suggestion that the pandemic has nothing to do with the backlog is extraordinary. Extraordinary measures are being used in Crown courts to uphold public health rules, including social distancing requirements. The Government is investing £500 million to clear backlogs.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address whether there was regret for decisions made before the pandemic.
Blaming The Pandemic
Response accuracy
Q3
Direct Answer
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Context
The Justice Committee visited Crown court in Manchester and observed challenges with jury trials due to social distancing requirements.
Does he agree that it is extremely difficult to deal with jury trials when social distancing is required, and that we have to be realistic about that? Will he also note that the magistrates courts are now dealing with cases in a timely fashion?
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. I visited Manchester Crown court and saw a new super court at a cost of £2.5 million to the Treasury for multi-handed cases. The Judicial Review and Courts Bill will increase remission from Crown courts to magistrates, saving 400 days in Crown court.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Officers from the Waterfoot police station in Rawtenstall faced challenges getting cases to court due to full disclosure requirements by CPS.
Will my hon. Friend go away and look at that? It is currently warranted officers doing that disclosure, when it could easily be a civilianised job. Will he agree to speak to the Crown Prosecution Service and his colleagues in the Home Office to ensure Lancashire constabulary can be out getting criminals and not doing paperwork?
My right hon. Friend makes a good point as a lawyer himself. Extra resource for the CPS is available in the spending review, and the Home Office works closely with our Department on improving processes.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to specific actions or timelines regarding civilianisation of disclosure work.
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
The Secretary of State previously stated that backlog would stabilise within a year, but now the Ministry of Justice predicts it may take until 2025.
On 5 October, the Secretary of State said it would take up to 12 months to get the backlog down to pre-pandemic levels. Yet we know now that the backlog may not return to those levels until 2025. Just this morning, he said it could take up to eight years. Was he mistaken when he said it would only take a year?
What my right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor actually said was that cases would start to stabilise now, at around 60,000 backlog. We accept it is still significant but see a very significant improvement in timeliness since July when Crown courts disposed of more cases than any time since November 2018.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a definitive timeline or acknowledge discrepancy between previous and current statements.
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
The workforce in the criminal justice system is facing a major crisis, with solicitors and barristers leaving in droves.
I am glad to see the Minister come to the aid of the Secretary of State, but he has not answered whether it is a year, eight years or 2025. The Secretary of State told Sky News today that he did not recognise that there was a workforce crisis in the criminal justice system. The Lord Chancellor has got to get real.
It is extraordinary: 43 minutes ago, Labour voted to keep clogging up courts with immigration cases. Those take up precious court time. We are taking measures to address this issue.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not acknowledge or address the workforce crisis.
Attacking Opposition
Response accuracy