Key Facts

• The Secretary of State must commission independent reviews on racial disproportionality and differential impacts.
• Amendments require publication of the Government's response to Part II of the Independent Review of Criminal Courts before certain sections can be implemented.
• Amendment ensures Lord Chancellor provides funding for at least 130,000 sitting days in the Crown Court.
• HMCTS must assess that the allocated sitting days are used effectively.
• The Lord Chancellor must consult on potential benefits of extended sitting hours in the Crown Court.
• New clause 32 introduces a duty to commission an independent review of racial disproportionality.
• New clause 33 mandates an independent review of disproportionate impacts on particular classes of people.
• The Government announced a £92 million investment in criminal legal aid.
• Joint enterprise laws have been used wrongly for the past three decades, impacting marginalised and vulnerable communities.
• Annually, nearly £250 million is spent on prosecuting defendants in joint enterprise cases each year costing taxpayers £1.2 billion.
• The Lord Chancellor would be required to set and publish targets for reducing court backlogs under new clause 5.
• Sir Brian Leveson's recommendations include establishing a performance oversight board to monitor local criminal justice boards.
• A blitz courts model has been operational in London since April, focusing on aggressive listing of assault against emergency worker cases.
• The government plans to expand case-progression functions and introduce case co-ordinators in every Crown court.
• The Minister argues for a realistic approach to efficiency gains, setting an expectation of no more than a 5% annual increase.
• Structural reforms include reallocating work from the Crown court to the magistrates' court where cases can be handled more promptly and appropriately.
• The Lord Chancellor must lay an independent report before Parliament within 12 months.
• The report will assess the feasibility of conducting two trials per day in designated courtrooms, including impact on efficiency, resources, and users.
• Annual targets for reducing the Crown Court backlog must be set within six months of passing this Act.
• New clause 7 would require the Lord Chancellor to lay before Parliament a strategy within six months of passing the Act.
• Victim-led case management is aimed at prioritising victims' experiences in criminal court proceedings.
• The Government has launched consultations and published statutory guidance on support for victims, including independent legal adviser services for rape victims.
• Over £500 billion worth of investment has been made by the Government in victim support services.
• New Clause 8 requires judiciary members to receive training on discrimination against ethnic minorities.
• New Clause 9 proposes mandatory training for the judiciary on violence against women and girls, including domestic abuse, sexual violence, coercive control, and honour-based abuse.
• New Clause 10 mandates training for judges on domestic abuse dynamics and best practices in managing such cases.
• New clause 8 focuses on discrimination against ethnic minorities.
• New clause 9 requires training for judges on violence against women and girls.
• New clause 10 mandates training for judges on domestic abuse.
• New clause 30 aims to ensure all court staff in the criminal justice system receive mandatory trauma-informed training.
• Training is extended to judges and relevant court staff employed by HMCTS.
• The Minister plans to observe mandatory training on rape and serious sexual offences for specialist ticketed judges.
• Judges must undergo top-up training every three years.
• Professor Katrin Hohl provided feedback on the content of the training, particularly focusing on RASSO (rape and serious sexual offences).
• New Clause 9 proposes training requirements for violence against women and girls, including domestic abuse and coercive control.
• New Clause 10 suggests similar training specifically for matters related to domestic abuse.
• Victims shall be entitled to receive court transcripts without charge.
• Transcripts must be provided within 14 days of a request.
• The right applies irrespective of whether the victim testified in the case.
• The government is exploring how responsibilities under the victims code are being met by service providers.
• The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 will introduce a compliance framework for criminal justice bodies to review their performance against the code.
• An AI study is underway to make court transcription more cost-effective.
• The Lord Chancellor must lay before Parliament a report assessing the effectiveness of sections 1 to 7 within 24 months.
• The new clause introduces a sunset clause requiring sections 1 to 7 to expire three months after the court backlog has been below pre-pandemic levels for four consecutive reporting periods as calculated by HM Courts and Tribunals Service.
• The proposal seeks to limit curtailment of jury trial rights during periods of backlog.
• Sunset clauses have historical precedent since at least 1500, serving as a safeguard for democracy and ensuring parliamentary oversight.
• Examples include the Terrorism Act 2006, UK Coronavirus Act 2020 with a two-year sunset clause.
• The new clause requires a formal strategy within 12 months after the Act's passing.
• Reports must be laid before Parliament every 24 months following the initial strategy laying.
• 'Remote proceedings' means any proceedings with one or more participants attending via live video or audio link.
• The new clause requires a report on the effect of the Bill's provisions on rape and serious sexual offences cases within twelve months.
• Sections 1 to 7 of the Act expire three months after the number of cases awaiting trial in the Crown Court has been below pre-pandemic levels for four consecutive quarterly reporting periods.
• A specialist sexual offences court is proposed at each Crown Court location in England and Wales, with independent support advisers available to victims.
• The unduly lenient sentence (ULS) scheme exists to allow review by the Court of Appeal.
• About 47% of appeals against sentences from magistrates courts result in a change.
• Schedule 2 introduces reforms for mandatory audio recording and provision of transcripts in magistrates court proceedings.
• The ULS scheme applies only to offences passed in the Crown court.
• In 2025, around 1,500 cases were assessed by the Office of the Attorney General.
• The Law Commission is reviewing criminal appeals and will publish a report on reforms to the ULS scheme in autumn 2026.
• New Clause 35 aims to re-establish His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Criminal Court Administration.
• The inspectorate would inspect and report on the administration and operation of criminal courts, focusing on victims' and witnesses' experiences.
• Sir Brian Leveson recommended the re-establishment of a courts inspectorate as part of his independent review.
• Clause 21 allows the Secretary of State to make consequential amendments.
• Clause 22 creates a power for transitional or saving provisions by regulation.
• Clause 23 amends the Sentencing Act 2020 through regulations.
• Clause 24 permits statutory instrument regulations under the Bill's delegated powers.
• The measures apply primarily to England and Wales, with exceptions for UK-wide extent in certain areas.
• The Welsh system feels it has been unfairly caught up in the reforms.
• Clause 25 is about the territorial extent of the Bill.
• The Circuit Leaders from Wales and Chester submitted evidence.