Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the barriers to achieving the swift delivery of legal papers.

The Government recognises that the swift delivery of legal papers is fundamental to due process and in ensuring effective access to justice and procedural fairness.

In most circumstances, court procedure rules allow for the immediate service of documents by electronic means, such as email or uploading helping us to drive efficiencies through new technology. The Civil Auto File Share, for example, enables call handlers to access electronic court files in real time and provide informed responses instantly.

However, where other methods are used, manual administrative processes, incorrect contact information, and postal service delays can cause failure or delay in service. Our broader court reforms aim to tackle these kinds of inefficiencies. We are pulling every lever at our disposal – record financial investment, pragmatic structural reform, and a programme of efficiencies – to tackle the Crown Court backlog, reduce delays for victims, and modernise our criminal courts.

We are committed to building an efficient and dynamic system that is fit for the future.