Oral Answers to Questions

Jerome Mayhew Excerpts

Tuesday 17th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Jake Richards]

As I have said, this is a matter for the Home Secretary. She has made it abundantly clear that, although there is a right to protest in this country—an important right that should be protected—where incidents such as those the hon. Gentleman has identified occur, those individuals should face the full force of the law.

[Jerome Mayhew (Broadland and Fakenham) (Con)]

6. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of his proposed changes to jury trials on the criminal justice system.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

10. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of his proposed changes to jury trials on the criminal justice system.

--- Later in debate ---

[Jerome Mayhew]

The Justice Secretary has just told us that the reason he is cutting jury trials is to get the backlog down. If that is the case, why is there not a sunset clause, so that once the backlog is reduced, those jury trials can resume?

[Mr Lammy]

If the hon. Gentleman had listened during the Second Reading debate, he would have heard me say that demand in the system is up. Police arrests are 10% up. For all those reasons, alongside the backlog that we inherited from the Conservative Government, it is important that we put in place reform that is sustainable for the long term, and that is why there is not a sunset clause.