Contributions
747 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryI am not quite sure how to respond to that. Was it a question? Was it a statement? Was it a rant? It displays a serious lack of seriousness. We have a backlog of 80,000 cases, and…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryMy hon. Friend is right to highlight the racial disparities right across our criminal justice system. Sadly, there is nothing new about that issue, which runs from issues with…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryOur judiciary are one of the prides of this country, and their independence and integrity provide one of the pillars of the rule of law in this country. That does not mean that…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryThe right hon. Lady is right that we need to increase capacity. That is why, since we replaced her party in government, we have increased the number of sitting days by over…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. Last week, I visited Wood Green Crown court, which has some of the deepest backlogs in the country, and met judges and barristers. They said…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryWe are putting record investment into sitting days, our lawyers and legal aid, and we are investing in technology. However, as Sir Brian Leveson’s review concludes, investment…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryI am afraid that I utterly reject the premise of that question. First, the hon. Lady will have to wait, as will other Members, for the Government’s detailed response to Sir Brian…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryMy hon. Friend is right. We inherited record and rising backlogs. Covid was a contributing factor, but it was not the only factor. Years of under-investment and years of neglect…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryI thank the right hon. Member for his question. To use a Latin quip that barristers are fond of, we are ad idem. I agree with jury trials; they bring something of deep value to…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryWhat my hon. Friend described, in graphic detail—the way in which justice has visibly eroded in his town—is the result of 14 years of Conservative failure, austerity and…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryAs the hon. Member heard me say a moment ago, the constitutional right that we guarantee every citizen in this country who comes before our criminal courts is the right to a fair…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryMy hon. Friend is absolutely right that, of course, I will not be commenting on a leaked document. No final decisions have been taken. What I can say is that we are giving very…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryHow extraordinary, Mr Speaker. The right hon. Gentleman claims to care about the rule of law; he claims to care about ancient legal traditions. This is the same shadow Justice…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Right to Trial by JuryThis Government inherited an emergency in our criminal courts, with record and rising caseloads, leaving the victims behind each and every one of those cases facing agonising…27 Nov 2025HANSARD Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill [Lords]With the leave of the Committee, I give my sincere thanks to the hon. Members for Bexhill and Battle (Dr Mullan) and for Woking (Mr Forster). It has been a pleasure to discuss the…19 Nov 2025HANSARD Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill [Lords]I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. Let me I start by reiterating my sincere thanks to Members of this House and the other place for their support and…19 Nov 2025HANSARD Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill [Lords]It is a pleasure to serve under you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to open this discussion on the clauses of a focused but important Bill, designed to drive innovation, enhance legal…19 Nov 2025HANSARDLegal AidI thank the hon. Member for his question, and I commend all lawyers who provide pro bono support to their clients, which is incredibly commendable. However, it is ultimately a…11 Nov 2025HANSARDAccess to JusticeThe review of criminal law in this area is incredibly delicate, and we need to look at it in line with common law and case law, but we are keeping it under review.11 Nov 2025HANSARDAccess to JusticeMy hon. Friend raises a very important issue. If people do not know their rights, they cannot enforce their rights, so raising awareness is incredibly important. It is important…11 Nov 2025