Debates between Mike Freer and Andrew Bridgen during the 2019-2024 Parliament

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mike Freer and Andrew Bridgen
Tuesday 28th March 2023

(1 year, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Mike Freer Portrait Mike Freer
- View Speech - Hansard - -

I am more than happy to meet my hon. Friend. I can reassure him that contempt of court and reporting restrictions apply to social media as well as mainstream media. We continually look at what more we can do to strengthen the law in this area, and that is why we have asked the Law Commission to consider the issue as part of a wide-ranging review of the law on contempt of court. Two new offences in the Online Safety Bill will criminalise the type of behaviour we have seen in the Eleanor Williams case. The false communications offence will criminalise communications where a person sends information that they know to be false with the intention of causing harm. As I say, I am more than happy to meet my hon. Friend.

Andrew Bridgen Portrait Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Ind)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

14. What progress he has made on tackling the backlog of court cases.

Mike Freer Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mike Freer)
- View Speech - Hansard - -

The outstanding case load has reduced across the UK. I do not have specific numbers for my hon. Friend’s constituency, as we do not calculate them by constituency. We are taking action across the criminal justice system to bring backlogs down and improve waiting times for those who use our courts.

Andrew Bridgen Portrait Andrew Bridgen
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

My hon. Friend will be aware of the saying that justice delayed is justice denied. What steps is he taking to ensure that the courts sit for as long as possible to try to get the backlog down?

Mike Freer Portrait Mike Freer
- View Speech - Hansard - -

I can reassure my hon. Friend that we have removed the limit on sitting days in the Crown court for the second financial year in a row, and that means that courts will continue to work at full capacity. We are also continuing with the use of 24 Nightingale courtrooms into the 2023-24 financial year, and are recruiting 1,000 new members of the judiciary to ensure that we get the backlog under control.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mike Freer and Andrew Bridgen
Thursday 3rd March 2022

(2 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Mike Freer Portrait Mike Freer
- View Speech - Hansard - -

Israel is one of our strongest allies and largest partners in global trade. We are working closely with our Israeli counterparts to deliver a successful summit in the next few weeks.

Andrew Bridgen Portrait Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

Does my right hon. Friend agree that although the big landmark trade deals, such as those with Australia and New Zealand, grab all the headlines, of equal importance is the less-publicised work that she is doing to tear down the trade barriers that prevent the export of British goods and services around the world?