Contributions
2,978 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogMy hon. Friend can reassure her constituents who have been summoned for jury service that we have plexiglass screens in place to prevent the spread of any infection, distancing in…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogOn the safe working environment, I have already mentioned that Public Health England and Public Health Wales, which are the relevant bodies, find our courts to be safe…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogI would point to the quarter of a billion pounds that we have invested this year alone—extra money for making sure that our courts are covid safe and have the capacity needed to…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogMy hon. Friend is right to raise this question. As I said in my opening remarks, the pandemic—the global pandemic—has had a huge impact on public services not just in this country…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogThe covid pandemic is truly unprecedented. It has affected every corner of our lives; from hospital operations delayed, to schools closed, to businesses struggling and even to how…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogI thank my hon. Friend, the Chair of the Justice Committee, for his question. He is of course right: we need to have sustained levels of disposals exceeding receipts. We got there…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogWe are as keen as the hon. and learned Member is and everyone is to make sure that these very sensitive cases involving rape or similar offences get heard quickly, but of course…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogDomestic violence most certainly is a very serious and very important matter. That is why, when the pandemic started, the senior judiciary sent directions to magistrates courts…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogI have such a choice to choose from! Yes, I join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to the legal profession and the judiciary for the work they have done in these difficult…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogI do not accept the hon. Lady’s criticism. Travel times to courts before and after the programme that she mentions were very little different. As I said, due to the actions that…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogI thank my hon. Friend, who of course has a distinguished background in this field himself, for his question. We do intend to continue rolling out the use of video and remote…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogI would point out that 230 is the number happening as we speak; in the weeks leading up to Christmas, the average was more like 275. In relation to the number of trials over the…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogMy hon. Friend raises an important point. Witnesses and victims, particularly in connection with offences such as domestic violence, sexual assault and rape, are very vulnerable…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogWe are not planning to close down the court system, and the Lord Chief Justice made that very clear when the current lockdown was announced. As I have said, we have invested a…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogI thank my hon. Friend for his question. As I have said, we are opening up as many covid-safe jury courtrooms as we can, to hear the cases such as the ones he is describing. I…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogYes, I certainly will join my hon. Friend in thanking the judiciary, magistrates and everybody involved in delivering justice for their heroic, herculean efforts during this…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogWe are putting more resources into the system, with more court rooms for jury trials, more magistrates courts sitting on Saturdays and no limitation this year on the number of…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogI think the Nightingale courts will continue for as long as we need them. My hon. Friend makes a good point: at some point in the relatively near future, we hope that the current…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogMy colleague the police Minister gave a full statement on the police records situation a day or two ago, and the Prime Minister answered questions on that topic from this very…20 Jan 2021HANSARDSerious Criminal Cases BacklogYes. The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett of Maldon, has provided exemplary leadership through these difficult days, keeping our justice system running in a way that many other…20 Jan 2021