Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Criminal Courts: Backlog of Cases

Tuesday 8 February 2022 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministers reported a reduction in the backlog of criminal cases in both magistrates and Crown courts.
  • Thirty-two Nightingale courtrooms have been extended until March to address the backlog.
  • The Government has invested 477 million to tackle the backlog and improve court efficiency.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 James Daly
Justice & Courts
Context

The backlog of cases before criminal courts has increased significantly due to the pandemic. James Daly asks about actions taken by the Department.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the backlog of cases before the criminal courts?

Answer from James Cartlidge

We are seeing results from efforts to tackle the pandemic's impact. Magistrates court caseload is close to pre-pandemic levels, and Crown court outstanding cases reduced from around 61,000 in June 2021 to 58,700 by November 2021. Next financial year, we expect a 20% increase in Crown court case resolution compared to the pre-covid period.

Answered
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Q2 James Daly
Justice & Courts
Context

Nightingale courts were extended until March to address the backlog. James Daly asks about utilisation of existing courtrooms.

Question

Will my hon. Friend update the House on how his Department is working to ensure we maximise use of the current court estate, including courtrooms not used during the pandemic, and what view he takes on the continued role of Nightingale courts to address the backlog?

Answer from James Cartlidge

32 Crown Nightingale courtrooms extended until March. Steps taken for individual extensions based on cases. Emphasised the importance of bringing rooms back into use which is crucial due to custody cell capacity in existing estate. Decisions made during summer lockdown and this Christmas helped bring courts back.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not address maximising use of courtrooms, only discussed Nightingale courts extension.

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Q3 Steve Reed Labour (Co-op) Streatham and Croydon North
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

The average time between a rape report and trial is at record high, causing fear among victims. Steve Reed asks for reasons behind the delay.

Question

Many rape victims live in fear of being confronted by their attacker if they have to wait so long for the case to come to trial. Can he tell victims why the delay in getting justice is still far too long?

Answer from James Cartlidge

Volume of rape convictions has increased, acknowledging timeliness issue. Backlog is now falling significantly in Crown courts; positive measures like the Judicial Review and Courts Bill have been implemented despite opposition from Labour.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific reasons for delays or steps taken to address them.

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Q4 Steve Reed Labour (Co-op) Streatham and Croydon North
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

Bar Council warns that proposals to give magistrates more sentencing powers could exacerbate the backlog. Steve Reed questions if the Government is worsening the situation.

Question

Are the Government making a bad situation worse because they do not have a clue what they are doing or because they have gone soft on crime?

Answer from James Cartlidge

Labour opposed measures to toughen sentences for serious sexual and violent offences, so we will not take lectures from them. Positive measures include super-courts and Nightingale courts; £477 million investment in spending review.

Not addressed: Did not address the specific question about worsening situation or lack of clarity on actions.

How: Attack

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