Crown Courts: Outstanding Cases

Lord Ashton of Hyde Excerpts

Thursday 15th April 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Thomas of Gresford (LD) [V]]

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in the name of my noble friend Lord Beith, who is regrettably attending a family funeral. Given that physical accommodation has at last been made available for Nightingale courts—

[Lord Ashton of Hyde (Con)]

My Lords, we ought to allow the Minister to reply.

[The Advocate-General for Scotland (Lord Stewart of Dirleton) (Con)]

My Lords, in relation to the Question posed by the noble Lord on behalf of the noble Lord, Lord Beith, we spent more than a quarter of £1 billion on recovery in the last financial year, making court buildings safe, rolling out new technology for remote hearings and opening 60 Nightingale courtrooms. Although there is further to go, this has made a difference. In the Crown Courts, we are completing around 2,000 cases each week, which is the same as before the pandemic.

Royal Commission on Criminal Justice

Lord Ashton of Hyde Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd June 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Keen of Elie]

I am confident that when addressing these matters the royal commission will have in mind the needs of the public, particularly victims, in the context of access to justice.

[Lord Ashton of Hyde (Con)]

My Lords, the time is almost up for that Question and we have in fact completed the 10 questioners. Just to inform the House, there has not been a coup; the Lord Speaker has had a power cut on the Isle of Wight. That is why, with the leave of the House, I will continue in his place.

Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) Bill

Lord Ashton of Hyde Excerpts

2nd reading & 2nd reading (Hansard) & 2nd reading (Hansard): House of Lords
Monday 24th February 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Soley (Lab)]

My Lords, I will speak briefly on the question not of law—which I shall leave to others who have more knowledge than I have—but of dangerousness. I have dealt with this quite a bit, albeit 40-odd years ago when I dealt with an awful lot of serious offenders and dangerous people. At times I got predictions right and at times wrong, but the important point is that we need to look at—

[Lord Ashton of Hyde (Con)]

May I remind the noble Lord that there is a speakers’ list?