Contributions
2,005 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCrown Court FundingAs I said, the number is now uncapped, so the hon. Member will be pleased to hear that Carlisle will have the maximum number of sitting days that it can possibly have. He will…17 Mar 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe sexual exploitation and rape of children by grooming gangs is one of the darkest moments in this country’s recent history. We accepted all of Baroness Casey’s recommendations.…17 Mar 2026HANSARDJury TrialsThere was also a reduction in funding of 23%. The hon. Gentleman knows that 90% of criminal justice cases are dealt with by the magistrates courts and 10% go to the Crown court,…17 Mar 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsI want to start by expressing my deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Jeff Blair, one of our country’s court bailiffs, who was tragically killed last week.…17 Mar 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend has been a great champion of Grimsby over many years and takes these issues very seriously. In my Department, our early intervention programme, Turnaround, has…17 Mar 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend makes a good point. It is something that I will reflect on in the coming days.17 Mar 2026HANSARDJury TrialsI know the hon. Gentleman has studied this closely, but there are two problems we have to fix. Demand is going up—I said that the police are arresting more. But he will know that…17 Mar 2026HANSARDJury TrialsI am hugely grateful for my hon. Friend’s continual advocacy in the Chamber on behalf of victims. She is absolutely right. If we do nothing, we head to a backlog of 200,000, and…17 Mar 2026HANSARDJury TrialsThe Conservatives left our criminal justice system on the brink of collapse, and we are taking action to clean up the mess they left behind. Our detailed impact assessment,…17 Mar 2026HANSARDJury TrialsIs that the best the hon. Gentleman can do? Of course the Prime Minister was not wrong—that is why jury trials will remain the cornerstone of our system. What a waste of a…17 Mar 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am sorry that Flora Page felt that she was no longer able to serve. We took very seriously Sir Brian’s recommendations that we would need to make more investment, that we would…17 Mar 2026HANSARDJury TrialsI have to say, the hon. Gentleman has not apologised for the state that the Conservatives left the criminal justice system in, closing 40% of court buildings in England— […17 Mar 2026HANSARDCrown Court FundingThe Government have agreed a landmark £2.78 billion settlement for courts and tribunals over this next period. That includes £2.5 billion in resource funding—the highest level…17 Mar 2026HANSARDCrown Court FundingMy hon. Friend is right that too often there are problems in the use of that technology for defendants in court, and sometimes there are problems between the prison and the court…17 Mar 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsI sat down with the POA just a few weeks ago to discuss this and other matters. Of course, it is right that I prioritise investment in our prisons as I seek to support prison…17 Mar 2026HANSARDJury TrialsIf the hon. Gentleman had listened during the Second Reading debate, he would have heard me say that demand in the system is up. Police arrests are 10% up. For all those reasons,…17 Mar 2026HANSARDJury TrialsIt was not un-British when the Callaghan Government made reforms at the end of the 1970s, and it was not un-British when Margaret Thatcher made changes in 1989. It is precisely…17 Mar 2026HANSARDJury TrialsSir Brian Leveson spent months delivering part 1 and part 2 of his reforms. We are building on that. I have set out that this is a 20% saving. If the hon. Gentleman was Health…17 Mar 2026HANSARDJury TrialsOne hundred per cent. That is why the shadow Justice Secretary, when he stands up, should apologise. He was sat in the Home Office while that was happening.17 Mar 2026HANSARDFamily Courts: Child Focused ModelI am pleased to announce today the national roll-out of the child-focused model, formerly known as the private law pathfinder, in the family courts. The child-focused model…17 Mar 2026