Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps are being taken to initiate virtual court hearings for serious criminal cases during the covid-19 outbreak.
We are working closely with the courts and judiciary to ensure that cases progress through the system. We introduced emergency legislation which enables courts to make greater use of audio and video hearings where appropriate. Magistrates’ court trials are now being listed wherever it is safe to do so and every effort is being made to resume Crown Court trials. Representatives from across the criminal justice system are working at pace to agree the best way of doing this safely.