Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Criminal Court Case Backlog

Tuesday 27 June 2023 · 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 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government removed the cap on the number of days the Crown court can sit for two years and recruited 1,000 judges in each of the last two years to reduce the backlog of criminal court cases.
  • As of December 2022, the outstanding case load in north Wales was 337 and in Wales overall it was 2,106, marking a 34% increase from pre-pandemic levels.
  • The roll-out of section 28 video recording has been available since November 2020 for victims of sexual and modern slavery offences, aimed at supporting vulnerable witnesses.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Mark Pawsey Con
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP is concerned about the backlog of criminal court cases and its impact on justice.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the backlog of criminal court cases. I am concerned about the delays in criminal proceedings which affect victims, witnesses, and defendants alike. What specific actions are being taken?

Answer from Mike Freer

The Government remain committed to reducing the outstanding case load in the Crown court and are working with partners across the criminal justice system. We have removed the cap on the number of days the Crown court can sit for two years, recruited 1,000 judges this year and another 1,000 last year, extended Nightingale courts, and opened permanent super-courtrooms in Manchester and Loughborough.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions to address backlog without details on effectiveness or timeline

How: Government Remain Committed

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Q2 Simon Baynes
Justice & Courts Local Government
Context

The MP is seeking statistics on the backlog of cases in north Wales and Wales.

Question

Will the Minister give the figures for the backlog in north Wales, where my constituency of Clwyd South is located, and for Wales overall? What factors are affecting those figures?

Answer from Mike Freer

As of December 2022, the outstanding case load in north Wales was 337 and in Wales overall it was 2,106—a 34% increase from pre-pandemic levels. The backlog has been impacted by the pandemic and actions by the Criminal Bar Association.

Answered
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Q3 Mark Pawsey Con
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP is interested in the effectiveness of pre-recorded evidence in speeding up justice.

Question

What assessment does the Minister have of the effectiveness of pre-recorded evidence in speeding up the justice process? My attention has been drawn to a case where those involved had to wait three years to give evidence. How effective is this new method?

Answer from Mike Freer

The roll-out of section 28 video recording has been available since November 2020 for victims of sexual and modern slavery offences, particularly important with vulnerable witnesses. However, rolling it out across the whole estate may diminish its impact on speeding up cases.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Evaluation without specific metrics or timelines

How: Important

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Q4 Alex Cunningham Lab
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP refers to a report indicating serious accessibility issues in magistrates courts.

Question

Has the Minister considered the Magistrates Association report on court accessibility failings? What has happened to all that cash the Government claim to be investing if it is not addressing basic needs?

Answer from Mike Freer

The Government are committed to improving the whole court estate, investing £1 million in diversity, and supporting magistrates with specific needs. Investment will continue to address all issues.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions to improve accessibility without concrete plans or timelines

How: Committed

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