Contributions
747 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Eighth sitting)I am going to make some progress— I know the hon. Gentleman has raised this with me. Those responsible for drafting the legislation do not need to add further definitions of what…21 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Eighth sitting)I thank the hon. Member for her point, which has been raised by others. Those terms are well understood in their ordinary meaning and can be applied in a clear and straightforward…21 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Eighth sitting)My understanding of the time saving—we measure it in the context of Crown court sitting days—is that we are looking at around 500 sitting days, which no one is suggesting is a…21 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Eighth sitting)indicated assent. Question put, That the amendment be made.21 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Eighth sitting)Forgive me, Ms Butler, is it possible that I have not addressed the amendment tabled by the hon. Member for Bexhill and Battle?21 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Eighth sitting)We consider it to be set out in clause 4 as drafted. It is sufficiently flexible and will no doubt be subjected to interpretation. We think that, as drafted—with all the carefully…21 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Eighth sitting)On a point of order, Ms Jardine. I ask for your guidance. We hear the rehearsal of a number of the same arguments that we have heard again and again over a long period. Everyone…21 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Eighth sitting)Amendment 10 is a technical amendment concerning magistrates court sentencing powers when imposing consecutive sentences for multiple summary offences. The Judicial Review and…21 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Eighth sitting)I will address amendments 50 and 48 together. The cases that we are considering in the context of clause 4, which involve fraud and serious financial crime, are, as I have said,…21 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Eighth sitting)I was about to get to the essential position, which is that what I said on Thursday is twofold. What we were debating was in the context of whether there was an appeal route in…21 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fifth sitting)The premise of not just these amendments, but amendments that we have already debated, is that other tiers of the system, whether that be the magistrates court or the proposed…16 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fifth sitting)I do not accept the premise or assumption that everybody has a positive experience of the criminal justice system when they participate in a jury. As the Minister for Courts, I do…16 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fifth sitting)It is a good question and one that we touched on in our earlier debate in the context of clause 1, where we were discussing the proposal to remove the defendant’s right to insist…16 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fifth sitting)I do not want to labour the analogy—forgive the pun—but in many senses, we do allow that. Under this system and the reformed system, we preserve the right of the defendant to…16 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fifth sitting)I think there is some consensus here. We are all extolling the virtues of our system. As the Minister with responsibility not just for courts, but for legal services more…16 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fifth sitting)The hon. Member asks a typically great question. We did think about it. I am well aware that the right to elect exists, once a defendant is in the superior court in Canada. We…16 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fifth sitting)I am rejecting the addition of any other carve-outs or exceptions beyond the test of seriousness that we lay down in these measures, which is dictated by the likely sentence, the…16 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fifth sitting)We do think this is the right balance, which is why we brought it forward. It is the test that was recommended to us by the independent review and we think it is a considered,…16 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fifth sitting)I am going to make a little progress—16 Apr 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals Bill (Fifth sitting)I have to make progress. Expanding the test for eligibility beyond seriousness would dilute the focus and risk undermining both the clarity of the allocation framework and the…16 Apr 2026