Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Jury Trials 2026-06-30

Tuesday 30 June 2026 · 5 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial questions addressed recent assessments of proposed changes to jury trials.
  • The Minister stated there is no right to a jury trial but a right to a fair trial, emphasizing timeliness.
  • The Minister confirmed monitoring and transparency measures are in place to track the impact of changes.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Gagan Mohindra Con South West Hertfordshire
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP is concerned about proposed changes to jury trials impacting the criminal justice system, citing rising court backlogs.

Question

What recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of proposed changes to jury trials on the criminal justice system?

Answer from Sarah Sackman

This Government inherited a criminal justice system in crisis, with record and rising Crown court backlogs. We simply cannot accept the intolerable delays currently faced by victims, witnesses and defendants alike. Sir Brian Leveson's conclusion was clear and emphatic: it is only with investment, efficiencies and pragmatic structural reform that we can begin to turn the tide on the backlog and deliver swifter justice for victims. Those are the measures being brought forward in the Government's Courts and Tribunals Bill.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The MP's specific ask about an assessment of impact was not directly addressed with concrete details.

How: Talks About Broader System Issues Instead

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Q2 Gagan Mohindra Con South West Hertfordshire
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP criticizes the proposal as restricting a centuries-old right, referencing previous measures.

Question

Will the Minister confirm that the Deputy Prime Minister's legacy is that he will be the first Justice Secretary in the United Kingdom to restrict the centuries-old right to jury trials?

Answer from Sarah Sackman

There is no right to a jury trial in this country; there is a right to a fair trial, and timeliness is a key ingredient of a fair trial. If someone has to wait years for their day in court, that simply is not fair, whether they are a defendant or a witness. Of course, there is precedent for this, including from someone who is perhaps the late, great Mrs Thatcher. The fact is that we have always made a policy choice about who can access jury trial, and we are going to make that policy choice again to deliver swifter justice for victims.

Not addressed: The specific ask was ignored; instead the answer discusses broader principles.

How: Changes Subject

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Q3 Christopher Vince Lab Co-op Harlow
Justice & Courts Standards & Ethics
Context

The MP raises concerns about the monitoring of policy impacts and advocates for transparency.

Question

What is the Minister doing to monitor the impact of these changes and ensure that there is transparency at all stages?

Answer from Sarah Sackman

My hon. Friend, as always, is an outstanding advocate for Harlow. Our judges take the judicial oath to act without fear or favour, which is why our judiciary is the finest in the world, but of course transparency matters, which is why the recording and transcription of proceedings and the review that we have committed to, to test the impact of our reforms, are so important.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about monitoring was not directly addressed with concrete details.

How: Talks About Broader Principles

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Q4 Nick Timothy Con West Suffolk
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP questions the predictability of court backlogs under a new leadership.

Question

Does the Minister predict that court backlogs will get worse when the right hon. Member for Makerfield takes over?

Answer from Sarah Sackman

The hon. Gentleman mischaracterises the Government's policy, as so many do. We are preserving jury trials as a cornerstone of British justice, but it is no justice at all if someone is waiting years for that jury trial. When witnesses and complainants pull out of the process and those trials collapse, that is no justice at all, whoever is in charge.

Not addressed: The specific ask was ignored; instead, the answer discussed broader policy justifications.

How: Changes Subject

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Q5 Nick Timothy Con West Suffolk
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP questions the Minister's position if a new leader scraps jury trial policy.

Question

Does the Minister predict that court backlogs will get worse when the right hon. Member for Makerfield takes over?

Answer from Sarah Sackman

I think the hon. Gentleman is referring to an interview with my right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield that took place in December, well before this House voted conclusively on Second Reading. Any ministerial team would have to take on this challenge. Unlike the Conservatives, we will not duck it. What my right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield actually said was that we need to pause and reflect.

Not addressed: The specific ask was ignored; instead the answer discussed past statements and broader policy justifications.

How: Changes Subject

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