Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps are being taken to reduce delays and support the wellbeing of victims and survivors involved in domestic abuse and ABH cases.

The Lord Chancellor has made clear his commitment to reduce the Crown Court backlog and get victims their day in court more quickly, including victims and survivors involved in domestic abuse and antisocial behaviour cases – and we are already acting on all fronts.

We are investing heavily in Crown Court capacity, court infrastructure, uncapped sitting days, technology and legal aid. We are also driving greater efficiency in the courts through measures such as responsible AI innovation, case coordinators for every Crown Court centre, and close collaboration with the judiciary on their reforms to listing practices and virtual hearings guidance.

We have brought forward structural reforms via the Courts and Tribunals Bill. Measures in the Bill are designed to ease pressure on the Crown Court, ensure proportionate allocation of resource, and redress the balance between victims and defendants. It returned to the House of Commons for Report Stage and Third Reading on 13 October.

We are separately committed to improving the criminal court response to domestic abuse and, as recommended by the Independent Sentencing Review, we are considering how to expand the use of Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts to achieve better outcomes for victims.

Furthermore, the Government is committed to ensuring all victims have access to the information and support they need to navigate the criminal justice system. The Ministry of Justice is supporting victims with the largest ever investment of over £550 million in victim support services over the next three years. This includes Police and Crime Commissioners to commission local victim support services for all victims of crime, based on their assessment of local need, including those affected by domestic abuse and ABH. We have also announced a further £18.9 million investment to support victims affected by the Progression Model. This includes more funding for local and specialist services, including a specialist VAWG programme.