Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Courts System

Tuesday 5 July 2022 · 7 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 4 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The government is investing 1.3 billion to modernize the courts system with digital reforms and online services.
  • The Government published their response to the "Considering the case for a Housing Court" call for evidence on 16 June.
  • More than 70% of all courtrooms, including over 90% of Crown courtrooms, are equipped with a video hearings platform.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Craig Williams Con
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP asked about steps being taken to modernise the UK's courts system, noting the need for technological advancements and process improvements.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to modernise the courts system. The current courts face significant challenges due to outdated technology and processes that hinder efficiency and justice delivery.

Answer from James Cartlidge

We are investing £1.3 billion in transforming the justice system, including by introducing 21st-century technology and online services to modernise the courts. Digital reforms and simplified services are removing simple cases from court; cutting down on unnecessary paperwork; and helping some of the most vulnerable people, who are facing difficult situations, to get justice as quickly as possible.

Answered
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Q2 Andrew Lewer Con
Justice & Courts Housing
Context

MP concerned about the impact of changes to section 21 repossessions on private landlords and the need for reforms in housing courts.

Question

It takes private landlords an average of nine months to repossess a property through the courts, and the end of section 21 repossessions will lead to more cases. The rental reform White Paper committed to improving the courts system. Will the Minister commit to those reforms being in place before the Government make changes to the way that private rented tenancies operate?

Answer from James Cartlidge

My hon. Friend asks an important question. I can confirm that on 16 June, the Government published their response to the “Considering the case for a Housing Court” call for evidence. Moreover, we are injecting more than £10 million a year into housing legal aid through our reforms to the housing possession court duty scheme. By 2023, we will modernise how the courts deal with possession claims as part of the Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service reform programme that I referred to.

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Q3 Craig Williams Con
Justice & Courts
Context

MP acknowledges the importance of modernising the court system to clear backlogs caused by the pandemic and asks about progress on video technology.

Question

I thank the Minister for his substantive reply. Modernising the courts system is essential if we are to clear the covid backlog and get victims the justice they need. I ask him to update the House on video technology and remote hearings, and how they can help.

Answer from James Cartlidge

My hon. Friend raises an excellent point. We have to understand that when the pandemic hit, it presented the greatest challenge to collective access to justice for many decades. More than 70% of all courtrooms, including more than 90% of Crown courtrooms, are fitted with our video hearings platform.

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Q4 Valerie Vaz Lab Walsall and Bloxwich
Justice & Courts
Context

MP highlights the importance of having enough legal representation for a modernised court system, particularly concerning criminal bar association issues.

Question

What is the point of having a modernised courts system if we do not have the lawyers to go with it? On what date will the Minister meet members of the Criminal Bar Association to discuss pay and a modernised courts system?

Answer from James Cartlidge

I am grateful to the right hon. Lady. Further to the question of the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East (Karl Turner), I can confirm that I have met the chair of the Criminal Bar Association seven times since the publication of the independent review of criminal legal aid.

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Q5 Andrew Slaughter Lab Hammersmith and Chiswick
Justice & Courts
Context

MP raises concerns over reduced funding for the Support Through Court charity and potential impacts on vulnerable tenants due to fixed recoverable costs in housing cases.

Question

The courts system relies on litigants having access to appropriate advice and representation, so why are the Government cutting funding to the Support Through Court charity and extending fixed recoverable costs to housing cases that will prevent law centres and other providers from having the means to represent vulnerable tenants against bad landlords, including in disrepair and unlawful eviction cases?

Answer from James Cartlidge

On the hon. Member's first point, I have provided a written answer, which I will happily forward to him—I cannot remember if the question was from him—in which the existing position on funding was clarified. I am confident that we have put in a huge funding package across the justice system, with £477 million to support court recovery in the spending review.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specifics about why Support Through Court charity funding is being cut and how fixed recoverable costs will affect vulnerable tenants are not addressed directly.

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Q6 Gareth Thomas Labour (Co-op) Harrow West
Justice & Courts Employment
Context

MP asks for a commitment to examine historical cases of unjust imprisonment and the resulting injustices faced by affected individuals.

Question

As the Minister considers how to modernise the courts system further, he might want to reflect on the lessons learned—or not—from a court case in 1984, when 37 workers from the Cammell Laird shipyards were unjustly imprisoned at a maximum security prison, and as a result were sacked, blacklisted, and lost redundancy and pension rights. Will he commit today to examine what papers his Department and the rest of Government hold on this case so that such an injustice can never happen again?

Answer from James Cartlidge

If the hon. Member writes to me, I will be more than happy to get my officials to look into that historical case.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment is vague and conditional on written correspondence.

How: Conditional Statement

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Q7 Christopher Chope Con Christchurch
Justice & Courts Parliamentary Procedure
Context

The Bellamy review recommended a significant increase in court staff salaries to address staffing issues. The Government's response has been slower than the recommendation, leading to questions about implementation.

Question

My hon. Friend talks about implementing the Bellamy review, but that recommended a 15% rise immediately. As I understand it, the Government are saying there will only be a 15% rise from September, and that will only be in respect of new cases. Why do the Government not commit themselves to implementing the Bellamy review, thereby ensuring that our courts are not blocked as they have been?

Answer from James Cartlidge

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, as ever. What the Bellamy review said was that the increases should be delivered as soon as is practicable, and I am 100% certain that we are doing so. We had to consult, which is a requirement under public law principles, and we have to legislate through a statutory instrument, which is the parliamentary procedure, but I am confident that we are delivering this as fast as we can.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment to implement the Bellamy review's recommendations immediately

How: We Had To Consult, Legislate Through A Statutory Instrument

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