Letter dated 06/07/2026 from Lord Leong to Lord Hunt of Wirral and Lord Fox regarding the Employment Tribunal Time Limits statutory instruments Lords debate: correction to the record regarding remote hearings. 1p.

Letter dated 06/07/2026 from Lord Leong to Lord Hunt of Wirral and Lord Fox regarding the Employment Tribunal Time Limits statutory instruments Lords debate: correction to the record regarding remote hearings. 1p.

My Right Honourable Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Rt Hon David Lammy MP) has today made the following statement:

"This Government inherited a criminal justice system on the brink of collapse. Trials are taking longer, hearings are being cancelled, and victims are...

My Right Honourable Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Rt Hon David Lammy MP) has today made the following statement:

"This Government inherited a criminal justice system on the brink of collapse. Trials are taking longer, hearings are being cancelled, and victims are...

This Government inherited a criminal justice system on the brink of collapse. Trials are taking longer, hearings are being cancelled, and victims are facing unacceptable delays.

As the Independent Review of Criminal Courts (IRCC) concluded, without action, the situation will continue to spiral, far beyond the point of recovery. Investment is...

This Government inherited a criminal justice system on the brink of collapse. Trials are taking longer, hearings are being cancelled, and victims are facing unacceptable delays.

As the Independent Review of Criminal Courts (IRCC) concluded, without action, the situation will continue to spiral, far beyond the point of recovery. Investment is...

Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. Part II: overview, volume 1 and 2 [Review by Sir Brian Leveson]. 3 docs.

Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. Part II: overview, volume 1 and 2 [Review by Sir Brian Leveson]. 3 docs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to paragraph 20 of the Explanatory Notes to the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, whether right to give evidence remotely will include alleged members of paramilitary organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to paragraph 20 of the Explanatory Notes to the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, whether right to give evidence remotely will include alleged members of paramilitary organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to expand the use of virtual hearings for short matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to expand the use of virtual hearings for short matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of digital hearings on access to justice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of digital hearings on access to justice.

Report stage. Clause 1, amendment 1 debated and withdrawn. Third reading. Debate adjourned, to be resumed on 12 September.

Report stage. Clause 1, amendment 1 debated and withdrawn. Third reading. Debate adjourned, to be resumed on 12 September.

I beg to move amendment 1, page 1, line 22, leave out subsection (4).

This amendment would exclude an amendment to paragraph 8(1A) of schedule 4 to the Local Government Finance Act 1992. It would reduce the Bill from covering four areas, to covering only section 47 of the Family Law...

I beg to move amendment 1, page 1, line 22, leave out subsection (4).

This amendment would exclude an amendment to paragraph 8(1A) of schedule 4 to the Local Government Finance Act 1992. It would reduce the Bill from covering four areas, to covering only section 47 of the Family Law...

The hon. Member for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope) raises important concerns, but this Bill is not about reducing the pressure on miscreants—it is about dealing with them as effectively and efficiently as possible. The Bill does not mandate the use of video; it allows the courts flexibility. Instead of the...

The hon. Member for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope) raises important concerns, but this Bill is not about reducing the pressure on miscreants—it is about dealing with them as effectively and efficiently as possible. The Bill does not mandate the use of video; it allows the courts flexibility. Instead of the...

I thank the Minister for his response. Perhaps the logic of what he says is that, instead of my amendment to remove the provisions relating to council tax, we should add to the Bill a provision about shoplifters and fraudsters, so that they are subject to remote hearings, on the...

I thank the Minister for his response. Perhaps the logic of what he says is that, instead of my amendment to remove the provisions relating to council tax, we should add to the Bill a provision about shoplifters and fraudsters, so that they are subject to remote hearings, on the...

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

We covered the Bill extensively in Committee, and there been a fairly wholesome debate about amendment 1 on Report. This is a sensible and proportionate Bill. It is slim and sophisticated, and I ask the House to approve...

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

We covered the Bill extensively in Committee, and there been a fairly wholesome debate about amendment 1 on Report. This is a sensible and proportionate Bill. It is slim and sophisticated, and I ask the House to approve...

Madam Deputy Speaker, it will not surprise you that, in the light of the Minister’s response to my amendment, I am very unhappy about the Bill. Unamended, it incorporates the provisions on local government non-payers that I described on Report. I cannot get my head round the argument put forward...

Madam Deputy Speaker, it will not surprise you that, in the light of the Minister’s response to my amendment, I am very unhappy about the Bill. Unamended, it incorporates the provisions on local government non-payers that I described on Report. I cannot get my head round the argument put forward...

indicated assent.

indicated assent.

I see that the Minister agrees. We have so few courts now compared with before that people have to travel further, with all the inconvenience that that leads to.

The explanatory notes continue:

“This leads to delay in dealing with the case and is not an effective way of using resources.”

I just...

I see that the Minister agrees. We have so few courts now compared with before that people have to travel further, with all the inconvenience that that leads to.

The explanatory notes continue:

“This leads to delay in dealing with the case and is not an effective way of using resources.”

I just...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his considered contribution to the debate. I will be brief. He is making some reasonable points, but he is answering his own question. We currently have a bottleneck in the court system, and by being against the measures in the Bill, he is, probably...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his considered contribution to the debate. I will be brief. He is making some reasonable points, but he is answering his own question. We currently have a bottleneck in the court system, and by being against the measures in the Bill, he is, probably...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for making that point, but I am not sure that I agree. In essence, the criminal justice system is there to ensure that there is a level playing field, that everybody is equal under the law and that the rule of law applies....

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for making that point, but I am not sure that I agree. In essence, the criminal justice system is there to ensure that there is a level playing field, that everybody is equal under the law and that the rule of law applies....

Not Members—just one.

Not Members—just one.