Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jessica Morden and Karen Buck

Tuesday 9th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[Jessica Morden (Newport East) (Lab)]

What steps his Department has taken to ensure access to justice during the covid-19 outbreak.

[Ms Karen Buck (Westminster North) (Lab)]

What steps his Department has taken to ensure access to justice during the covid-19 outbreak.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Alex Chalk)]

The covid-19 outbreak has raised real challenges for the justice system, and we have taken rapid action where we can with the help of practitioners and the judiciary, who have been fantastic, to overcome those challenges and maintain access for all. Some 159 courts remained open across all jurisdictions, and a further 116 were staffed. On 18 May, we were able to restart jury trials, and we will be scaling them up in the weeks ahead.