Courts and Tribunals Bill 2026-03-19
2026-03-19
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The Attorney General's advice on the Courts and Tribunals Bill.
Whether the Attorney General has advised the Lord Chancellor on the potential impact of the Courts and Tribunals Bill on the rule of law.
The Government's reforms will focus on delivering faster and fairer justice for victims. That includes removing the presumption of parental involvement to prioritise what is in the best interests of children after tireless campaigning by Claire Throssell, whose two sons, Jack and Paul, were killed by their father after their parents' separation. Reforms also include strengthening the use of special measures and preventing the misuse of evidence to unfairly undermine victims in court.
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Assessment & feedback
Whether the Attorney General has advised on the impact of the bill
Reform Is Needed
Victims' Interests
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Q2
Partial Answer
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The Lord Chancellor promised to model proposals for jury trials.
On 3 February, the Lord Chancellor undertook to model his proposals for jury trials and to publish the results. Has the modelling been done and when will the results be published?
The reforms that the right hon. Gentleman refers to come after Sir Brian Leveson set out a report with 135 recommendations, making it clear that investment in the justice system alone would not solve the backlog left by the previous Conservative Government and that reform is also needed. Estimates show that it will reduce cases by 20%, although, given the modelling from Canada, those are likely conservative estimates.
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Assessment & feedback
When will results of modelling be published
Reform Is Needed
Backlog Left By Previous Government
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Q3
Partial Answer
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The legal profession, the Opposition Benches, and a significant number of Government MPs are united against proposed changes to jury trials.
To avoid embarrassment of U-turn or watering down policy, can the Solicitor General give categorical assurance there will be no change?
I am sure the hon. Gentleman listened to what the Deputy Prime Minister had to say at Justice questions two days ago. The reality is that the last Conservative Government left the justice system on its knees, with a backlog of 80,000 cases, which, without both investment and reform, will simply go up. That is why we are funding unlimited sitting days, increasing spending on criminal defence lawyers and investing in crumbling courts.
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Assessment & feedback
Categorical assurance of no U-turn or watering down policy
Backlog Left By Previous Government
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Q4
Partial Answer
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Growing resentment and lack of confidence in the judicial process against widespread opposition.
How does she expect to maintain confidence in the judicial process with such widespread opposition?
Let me say something about confidence. Victims are waiting three years, in some cases, for their rape case to get to court because of the backlogs we inherited from the last Conservative Government—that is not confidence in the justice system. That is why these reforms are necessary.
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Assessment & feedback
How will confidence be maintained?
Backlogs Left By Previous Government
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Q5
Partial Answer
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Institute for Government found abolishing jury trials may only get rape trials on a week earlier.
Why does the Solicitor General not take action by setting up specialist rape courts to deal with backlog now?
The right hon. Gentleman will be aware that listing is a matter for the judiciary, but one proposal is a national listing framework to ensure that cases are listed as soon as possible. We are committed to supporting victims of rape and serious sexual violence.
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Assessment & feedback
Specialist rape courts and proper payment of lawyers
Listing Is Matter For Judiciary
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Q6
Partial Answer
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Lady Chief Justice expressed grave security concerns about judge-alone trials.
Does the Solicitor General share those concerns, and what are the Government doing about it?
My hon. Friend makes an extremely important point. I would be happy to discuss the comments of the Lady Chief Justice, with whom I meet regularly, with colleagues in the Ministry of Justice.
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Assessment & feedback
Actions regarding concerns
Discuss With Moj
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Q7
Partial Answer
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Plan for court reform implements time savings across system.
Does the Solicitor General agree that those changes will address delays and allow CPS to focus on swift justice?
My hon. Friend is completely right, and she has considerable experience as a former Crown prosecutor. She will know that that is why we are investing £2.78 billion in the coming year, which includes over £280 million for vital repairs, digital upgrades and unlimited sitting days in the Crown court—record funding for our courts.
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Assessment & feedback
Improvement of efficiency
Investment In Courts
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Q8
Direct Answer
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The Courts and Tribunals Bill aims to remove the presumption of parental contact. The bill is prompted by Claire Throssell's tireless campaigning following the tragic death of her children, Jack and Paul.
It should be a fundamental right to be safe at home. The Courts and Tribunals Bill delivers that for children in this country by removing the presumption of parental contact. Will the Solicitor General join me in paying tribute to Claire Throssell's tireless campaigning?
My hon. Friend makes an incredibly important point. I am sure that the whole House will want to pay tribute to Claire Throssell for her tireless campaigning and to the memory of her two children, Jack and Paul. Every child deserves to be safe and every family deserves a justice system that they can trust.
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Assessment & feedback
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Q9
Partial Answer
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There is a need to increase cultural, class and age-group diversity in the recruitment of magistrates to boost confidence in criminal justice reforms.
I welcome the Government's reforms to the criminal justice system, but I would like to ask what measures will be taken to increase cultural, class and age-group diversity in magistrate recruitment?
As always, my hon. Friend makes an incredibly important point. I understand that measures are being taken to recruit more magistrates from more diverse backgrounds.
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Assessment & feedback
specific details on the measures for recruitment diversity
As Always
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Q10
Partial Answer
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The Courts and Tribunals Bill faces criticism for its lack of consultation, manifesto mandate, robust modelling, and expedited Committee scrutiny.
On Second Reading of the Courts and Tribunals Bill, the Minister for Courts and Legal Services told the House that 'politics is about choices', so let us be clear about the choices this Government have made. They chose to bring forward a Bill with no consultation, no manifesto mandate, no Green Paper, no White Paper, and no robust modelling. What does the Minister think about these choices?
May I first pay tribute to the hon. Lady's tireless campaigning on behalf of her constituents, Paula and Tony Hudgell? I am pleased that the Government have now announced a child cruelty register. In relation to the points made by the hon. Lady, Sir Brian Leveson—an incredibly well regarded and experienced lawyer—took months on his two reports, which set out a huge number of recommendations.
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Assessment & feedback
the specific choices in bringing forward the Bill without consultation or mandate
May I First Pay Tribute
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Q11
Partial Answer
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There is concern that none of the wrongly convicted sub-postmasters in the Post Office Horizon scandal would have had the right to a jury trial under proposed measures.
I thank the right hon. and learned Lady for what she said about the Hudgell case and the child cruelty register. It is unfortunate that the right hon. and learned Lady just will not answer the very straightforward questions that I am asking. Jo Hamilton OBE was a victim of the Post Office Horizon scandal. Will the Solicitor General explain how removing this vital safeguard makes the justice system more fair, not less?
The hon. Lady will be well aware that we are not removing jury trials; they will remain a cornerstone of this justice system. Some cases involving sentences expected to be three years or less will be triable either way, which will be heard by a judge.
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Assessment & feedback
the removal of the right to jury trial for certain cases
Response accuracy