Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Vince Excerpts

Tuesday 8th July 2025 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

1. What steps her Department is taking to reduce the Crown court backlog.

[Jim Dickson (Dartford) (Lab)]

2. What steps her Department is taking to reduce the Crown court backlog.

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Shabana Mahmood)]

The Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. We are investing more than the Conservatives ever did, and funding a record allocation of Crown court sitting days—110,000 days this year, which is 4,000 more than during the last Government—but we must reform, too. Sir Brian Leveson will soon present his recommendations for delivering once-in-a-generation reform and swifter justice for victims.

[Chris Vince]

In Essex, 20% of cases are stopped after a defendant has been charged because victims are dropping out and withdrawing their support. With some waiting years for their case to get through the courts, is it any wonder that they give up on justice? Does the Secretary of State agree that we need radical action now to stop the backlog from getting any bigger in places like my constituency of Harlow?