Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Criminal Bar Association on reducing average waiting times from point of charge to the commencement of a trial in the Crown Court.

We are grateful for the dedicated work of the Criminal Bar Association and their continued engagement with the Department regarding criminal court reform. The legal sector is integral to the functioning of the justice system.

As of June 2025, the Crown Court backlog reached a new high of 78,329. We recognise the impact on victims when trials do not proceed as planned. That is why in December 2024, the Government asked Sir Brian Leveson to conduct an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, to propose bold and ambitious reforms to improve timelines in courts and deliver swift justice for victims.

The Department has had regular ministerial and official-level engagement on actions to tackle the Crown Court backlog with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Criminal Bar Association.

We are currently considering the first part of Sir Brian’s report and will respond in due course. We look forward to continued engagement with the Criminal Bar Association on this issue in the coming months.