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Work of the County Court: Government Response
23 October 2025
Lead MP
Andy Slaughter
Hammersmith and Chiswick
Lab
Responding Minister
Not recorded
Tags
Employment
Word Count: 2974
Other Contributors: 5
At a Glance
Andy Slaughter raised concerns about work of the county court: government response in Westminster Hall. Response awaited from government.
Key Requests to Government:
The Committee asks for an urgent review of judicial capacity, staff recruitment and retention, workload, capacity, and regional disparities in the county court system.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The Justice Committee found that the county court is in crisis, with systemic delays and inefficiencies. The average time for a small claims case to reach trial now exceeds 50 weeks, and complex cases face even longer delays. Regional differences exacerbate these issues, resulting in a postcode lottery where courts in London and the south-east are among the worst performers. Additionally, court staff are overstretched, poorly paid, with high turnover, leading to inadequate support for court users.
Andy Slaughter
Lab
Lambeth and Southwark
Acknowledged the government's acceptance of most recommendations, expressed confidence in the minister's ability to drive change, noted early indicators of improvements but emphasised that progress needs to be steady and long-term.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Asks if the report's recommendations can be shared with Northern Ireland as many issues faced in England and Wales also apply there, despite it being a devolved matter.
Sarah Sackman
Con
Hertford and St Albans
Asked about the progress in reducing delays in small claims cases, improvements in fast track processes, increased mediation usage, and implementation of new electronic document processing mechanisms.
Tessa Munt
LD
Wells
The hon. Member highlights that the county court system is in crisis, experiencing significant operational problems due to crumbling estate conditions and lack of adequate digitalisation.
Warinder Juss
Lab
Wolverhampton West
Suggests that a fundamental reform of the civil justice system is necessary, involving a systematic review of its operations to ensure swift and fair justice for constituents.
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Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.