Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether additional remote hearings have been used during the covid-19 outbreak compared with previous periods.

We have responded quickly and innovatively to the challenge posed by the Covid-19 pandemic to our criminal courts and the wider justice system. This includes making video technology available across the entirety of the criminal, civil, family and tribunal estates, as well as the expansion of audio capability. Together this has enabled more judges and magistrates to conduct many more remote hearings.