Contributions
747 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)Given that the hon. Gentleman is besmirching my reputation, I should say that the equivalent is saying, “Health Secretary, what are the waiting list times in the UK—and what is…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)I checked this during the adjournment of the sitting: the CBA’s point relates to new receipts in certain courts, rather than the state of the backlogs, which, as I said, continue…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)Will the hon. Member give way?14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the 1% to 2% refers to the time savings achieved by the Crown court bench division? The IFG recognised that the totality of the package achieved…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)I appreciate the complexity. We are slightly in the realm of the hypothetical. To be absolutely clear, the purpose of clause 2 is to align the uncommenced written plea and…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)The clause sits alongside clause 1 and ensures that the new allocation framework will operate coherently following the removal of the right to elect. It deals specifically with…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)The moment has passed.14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)But does the shadow Minister accept that these things take time? His party is a great believer in the force of the market, and the market here has decided that it wants to go and…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)Does the shadow Minister recognise that, in the IFG’s report, one of the central insights was that the key drag on court productivity was workforce shortages? We are making that…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)Does the shadow Minister accept, though, that the legislation as drafted contains a number of guardrails? They include the provision of reasons that will need to be given by a…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)I accept that it cannot happen, but equally we do not know what happens in jury deliberation rooms. We do not know how the jury arrived at a verdict. All that a defendant ever…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)We do not necessarily accept that that is why. There may be all sorts of reasons, which need to be unpacked, and that is the kind of thing I hope will be enriched by a statutory…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)While I am very proud of our legal system, I do not necessarily take the view that ours is best and we cannot learn from other systems. Indeed, some of the places that we have…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)We are working hard.14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)I do not think we are disagreeing about the importance of judicial accountability or the need for a more diverse judiciary. The Deputy Prime Minister is making huge progress on…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Third sitting)I have visited lots and lots of courts.14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)As I think I am hearing from the Opposition, given that clause 3 is really meaty and has lots of aspects and that, I suspect, all hon. Members, including myself, have prepared on…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)Will the shadow Minister give way?14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fourth sitting)I think the shadow Minister misunderstands me. I am not critiquing our jury trials which, as I have said, are a cornerstone of British justice. I am trying to understand why he…14 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Third sitting)Just to be absolutely clear, I have not accepted the CBA figures. What I have told you, and everyone here, is that on the last published figures, the backlog continued to rise…14 Apr 2026