Oral Answers to Questions

Helen Grant Excerpts

Thursday 18th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The point has been made, and it is on the record. Can I just tell the Solicitor General that because this is sub judice, I will move on to Helen Grant, the shadow Solicitor General?

[Helen Grant (Maidstone and Malling) (Con)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. May I wish you and your brilliant team a very happy Christmas?

The 2017 Lammy review looked at prejudice in the criminal justice system. Our now Justice Secretary said:

“Juries are a success story of our justice system… juries are representative of local populations—and must deliberate as a group, leaving no hiding place for bias or discrimination”,

and

“This debate and deliberation acts as a filter for prejudice”.

In 2020, he said,

“Criminal trials without juries are a bad idea. You don’t fix the backlog with trials that are widely perceived as unfair.”

What advice has the Minister given on how to avoid the discriminatory outcomes that the Justice Secretary warned about?

[The Solicitor General]

The hon. Lady will know that in the judicial oath, judges swear to act

“without fear or favour, affection or ill will”,

and they decide cases in line with the law and the facts of the case. That underpins our democracy and our criminal justice system. Our reforms will not impact the outcome of trials; they will affect only the mode of trial. We are working to bring in new and diverse magistrates over the next 12 months, ensuring that our benches reflect the communities that they serve, and we will continue to recruit high numbers in the future.

[Helen Grant]

I am not too sure that answered my question; I shall have another go. This month, the Minister’s colleague, the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East (Karl Turner), wrote:

“The erosion of jury trials not only risks undermining a fundamental right, but importantly, will not reduce the backlog by anything like enough”.

He went on:

“If this ever comes to the House of Commons, I will rebel and vote against it…The House and the public will not stand for the erosion of a fundamental right”.

It would seem from X that at least 38 of his colleagues take a similar view. Is the Solicitor General, who is charged with upholding the rule of law, also concerned about the Justice Secretary’s proposals?

[The Solicitor General]

I take very seriously the proposals put forward by Sir Brian Leveson, which made it clear that because of the crisis in the justice system, and the backlog of 80,000 cases left by the previous Conservative Government, investment alone is not enough; radical reform is also required. Jury trials are not being got rid of, but some cases will be heard by magistrates, or by the Crown bench division. Justice delayed is justice denied. People are waiting far too long for their case to get to court. That is no justice. It is no justice when rape victims wait three years—and 60% pull out of their case before it gets to court as a result. Doing nothing is not an option, so it is important that we implement these measures.