Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether front-line staff working in (a) the NHS, (b) education, (c) the police and (d) the food supply chain will be exempt from mandatory jury service during the covid-19 pandemic.

At this time, the Government does not expect frontline emergency services staff, including those in the NHS, Police and Fire Service to be serving on juries.

Anyone in these groups, or any Key Worker working in education, the food supply chain or in any other frontline role who is summoned for jury service should contact the Jury Central Summoning Bureau (JCSB). While by law we cannot automatically defer jurors, HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has issued guidance to help staff deal sympathetically with all requests from the public who wish to be released or deferred from jury service as a result of COVID-19. This also includes jurors who are in self-isolation, household isolation or those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus. Each application for deferral/excusal is considered on its own merit, that is both fair to the individual and consistent with the needs of the court in providing a representative jury.

We have published further details here: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-courts-and-tribunals-planning-and-preparation#jury-service.