Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his department can provide an update on the timeframes for the introduction of dedicated courtrooms for rape and serious sexual offence cases for Maidstone Crown Court.

As part of our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, we recently announced a package of measures to improve victims' experiences at court and reduce delays in rape and serious sexual offence cases.

Backed by £23 million investment, every Crown Court building will have at least one specialist rape and serious sexual offence courtroom by 2028. These courtrooms will provide improved facilities and technology, including for pre-recorded evidence, remote observation of sentencing and participation from a private room, helping to ensure victims of rape and sexual offences receive better, more tailored support through the court process. We will also introduce a best practice framework for these cases, trauma informed training for court staff, and trial a single point of contact to ensure that these victims’ needs are met by the court.

In addition, we will deliver victim-centred court upgrades in the Crown Court, such as separate entrances and private waiting rooms to spare victims the trauma of seeing their perpetrator. Where these are not already available, priority will be given to courts with high numbers of rape and serious sexual offences. These upgrades will be made by 2030.