Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions

Edward Leigh Excerpts
Tuesday 17th March 2026

(1 day, 13 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
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I call the Father of the House.

Edward Leigh Portrait Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)
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The Minister will have heard, as I did, the very moving speech of the hon. Member for Warrington North (Charlotte Nichols) last week. She really moved the House with her testimony of the terrible experience that she had had as a rape victim, and her experience of delays. She will also have heard her say that, according to the Government, abolishing jury trials will save perhaps only a week. So my positive question to the Government is this: why do we not proceed on the basis of the Labour manifesto? It has its merits and it promised specialist rape trials. Why do we not set up courtrooms in every single courthouse with specialist lawyers and really deal with the backlog now?

Sarah Sackman Portrait Sarah Sackman
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Might I echo—