Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Transparency in Court Proceedings

Tuesday 17 March 2026 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Andrew Cooper asked about steps to improve transparency in court proceedings, noting the illegality of conducting empirical research into jury decisions in England and Wales.
  • The Minister responded that the Government respects the privacy of jury deliberations, and is learning from the Scottish Government's approach to controlled exceptions for jury research.
  • Katie Lam inquired about the Government's decision to order Courtsdesk to delete its archive of court records and sought confirmation that Courtsdesk would not be compelled to delete further records.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Andrew Cooper Lab Mid Cheshire
Justice & Courts Standards & Ethics
Context

The question addresses the government's efforts to increase transparency in courts, following concerns about the lack of empirical research on real jury decisions and privacy barriers.

Question

What steps he is taking to improve transparency in court proceedings. Conducting empirical research into how real juries make decisions remains illegal in England and Wales; researchers have had to rely on mock juries showing links between juror attitudes and verdicts, particularly in rape trials. Does my hon. and learned Friend agree we must break down barriers to jury research for appropriate reforms?

Answer from Sarah Sackman

There are good reasons for protecting jury deliberations, ensuring they happen in private. The Government in Scotland have legislated for a tightly controlled exception for jury research; my officials work with the Scotland Office to learn from this vital work.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about breaking down barriers to empirical jury research was not directly addressed, focusing instead on existing protections and Scottish legislation.

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Q2 Andrew Cooper Lab Mid Cheshire
Justice & Courts Parliamentary Procedure
Context

Concerns over the Courts and Tribunals Bill's impact on jury research, highlighting the importance of understanding real jury decision-making processes.

Question

The Courts and Tribunals Bill aims to increase transparency but conducting empirical research into jury decisions remains illegal. Researchers rely on mock juries showing links between juror attitudes and verdicts in rape trials. Does my hon. and learned Friend agree we must break down barriers to jury research?

Answer from Sarah Sackman

The Government recognise protections for jury deliberations, ensuring they happen in private. The Scottish Government have recently legislated for controlled exceptions for jury research; my officials work with the Scotland Office to learn from their approach.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about breaking down barriers was not directly addressed, focusing on existing protections and Scottish legislation.

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Q3 Katie Lam Con Weald of Kent
Justice & Courts Parliamentary Procedure
Context

Concerns about the deletion of a large court records archive by Courtsdesk and uncertainty over future intentions regarding this archive.

Question

In February, the Government ordered Courtsdesk to delete its largest archive of court records—an essential transparency tool. They later reversed this decision but have not clarified their plans for the archive or future operations. Could the Minister confirm that Courtsdesk will not be compelled to delete its archive and whether it can continue operating services?

Answer from Sarah Sackman

Court operations were suspended due to sensitive data handling breaches. We recognise the importance of transparency and have met with Courtsdesk; new licensing arrangements will make court listings available for journalists, and plans are being brought forward.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about future intentions regarding the archive was not directly addressed, focusing instead on past issues and future licensing plans.

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