Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
▸
Context
The UK's justice system faces a significant backlog of court cases due to the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting the timely resolution of cases.
What steps is his Department taking to reduce the backlog of court cases that has accumulated as a result of the covid-19 outbreak? What impact has the outbreak had on the time people are having to spend remanded in custody without being convicted?
We are currently engaged in a herculean national effort to get our courts back up and running using remote technology. As of 3 June, 168 courts have been reopened and we plan to open many more. Custody limits still apply as before, and judges consider custody time limits when making listing decisions. Cases where custody time limits are approaching are prioritised.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy