Criminal Justice System: Royal Commission

2026-09-15

TAGS
Response quality

Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer
Context
The criminal justice system faces challenges in prisons and criminal courts, which the government aims to address through wide-ranging reviews led by David Gauke and Sir Brian Leveson.
What recent assessment has been made of the potential merits of establishing a royal commission on the criminal justice system?
We inherited a criminal justice system in crisis, with challenges in prisons and criminal courts at risk of collapse. That is why as an early priority, we launched two wide-ranging reviews—one led by David Gauke, the other led by Sir Brian Leveson—to tackle that crisis holistically.
Assessment & feedback
The answer discusses the reviews but does not provide a specific assessment of the merits of a royal commission.
Response accuracy
Q2 Partial Answer
Context
The Justice Secretary acknowledged the need to build a new criminal justice system after a decade and a half of austerity, which has led to significant challenges in the system. The six national justice trade unions are calling for a royal commission on prisons and the wider criminal justice system.
Will the Department listen to the leaders of the six national justice trade unions, who are calling for a royal commission on prisons and the wider criminal justice system?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that whether they are powering our prisons, our Probation Service or our Courts Service, our workforce are the backbone of delivering for citizens in this country. My colleagues and I routinely engage with our trade unions, who are vital stakeholders in this matter, but we are not waiting for a royal commission. The state of our justice system requires action now, which is why the Government are making record investment in sitting days in courts, in building new prisons, and in the workforce itself.
Assessment & feedback
The answer discusses engagement with trade unions and ongoing actions but does not directly address the call for a royal commission.
Deflection
Response accuracy
Q3 Partial Answer
Liz Saville-Roberts PC
Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Context
The new justice unions all-party parliamentary group, chaired by the questioner, wrote to the Prime Minister and the Justice Secretary highlighting a joint statement by six justice trade unions calling for a royal commission. The trade unions argue that a piecemeal approach is insufficient for comprehensive reform.
Surely the Minister agrees that end-to-end reform is now essential, and that a royal commission is key to enabling this?
As the right hon. Member has just heard me say, what we need is action and investment in our workforce now. That is about fair pay; it is also about ensuring that our workforce, whether in prisons or in courts, have the tools to do the job that they were trained to do and want to do properly. That is why we are empowering them with digital tools, and it is why we provided the sitting days to hear the cases that need to be processed through our courts. We do not need a royal commission to tell us what is needed—what we need is action right now.
Assessment & feedback
The answer discusses workforce issues and ongoing actions but does not address the specific need for a royal commission.
Deflection
Response accuracy