Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to allow children impacted by abuse to pre-record their evidence for trial as soon as possible after the incident has occurred, in the context of timeliness of access to psychological services.

Pre-recorded cross-examination has been available to children and vulnerable adults in all Crown Courts since November 2022, under section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999.

The aim of section 28 is to enhance the quality and reliability of evidence by improving the witness experience of cross-examination and enhancing event recall by reducing the time between complaint and cross-examination. Judges consider on a case-by-case basis whether using section 28 is in the interests of justice, will improve the quality of the witness’s evidence and will materially advance the date for the cross-examination.