Tag: Ministry of Justice

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 17 December 2024.

The Lord Chancellor has announced that courts can now sit up to 108,500 days this year, helping to tackle the court backlog.

More victims will see justice thanks to an extra 2,000 Crown Court sitting days announced by the Lord Chancellor today (Tuesday 17 December).

This will see courts sit for a total of 108,500 days this year – the highest figure in almost a decade – helping to tackle the court backlog, as the government ploughs ahead with bold and ambitious reforms to tackle the ongoing crisis in the Crown Court.

The backlog in our courts has been growing significantly since the pandemic and currently stands at over 73,000 cases, delaying perpetrators having their day in court and victims getting justice.

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Shabana Mahmood, said:

It is vital we do everything we can to bring down the backlog of cases and ensure victims see justice sooner, and these extra sitting days are another step towards that.

But we know more must be done, which is why I have asked Sir Brian Leveson to undertake his review and make recommendations for significant reform of our courts system as part of this government’s wider Plan for Change.

This is the latest step in the government’s efforts to cut the backlog, deliver for victims and drive down the record remand population.

As well as adding more sitting days, the government is also planning once-in-a-generation reforms of the courts system. Earlier in the month, it was announced that Sir Brian Leveson will be conducting an independent review into the criminal courts, to identify major reforms.

These reforms could include “intermediate courts”, where cases too serious for magistrates’ courts but not serious enough for the Crown Court could be heard by a judge, flanked by magistrates.

The plans form part of the government’s commitment to safer streets by reducing the court backlog, speeding up trials for victims, and rebuilding public confidence in the criminal justice system.

Further information

• The Lord Chancellor had already increased the number of sitting days agreed by the previous government, from 106,000 to 106,500 in September 2024.
• The review into criminal courts will be led by Sir Brian Leveson, a former High Court Judge and a previous President of the Queen’s Bench Division.
• In October the government doubled sentencing powers for magistrates’ courts in order to divert 2,000 cases away from the Crown Court and to ease pressure on the remand population in our prisons
• Fees for criminal legal aid work in police stations and youth courts have been increased by £24 million
• The government also announced its intention to consult on an increase to civil legal aid fees for housing and immigration cases

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 16 December 2024.

The Secretary of State has approved the appointments of 78 Parole Board Members and the reappointment of one member.

Appointment of Independent members

The following members have been appointed for a 5-year term from 12 May 2025 until 11 May 2030:

• Suzette Allcorn
• Victoria Allison
• Christina Anand
• Kenneth Armstrong
• Anna Backhouse
• Catherine Banks
• Claire Bentley
• Naomi Bentley-Walls
• Sophie Buck
• Martine Cotter
• Chris Dyke
• Jennifer Ferrario
• Stefan Fox
• Michael Garland-Irvine
• Paramjit Giddy
• Joanna Godfrey
• Sandra Hainsworth
• James Hall
• Zoe Harding
• Fiona Hay
• Debbie Hill
• Victoria Holbrook-Hughes
• Catherine Holmes
• John Holmes
• Zahir Hussain
• Kathryn Jamieson-Sinclair
• Tim Johnson
• Charlotte Johnson
• Angus Jones
• Sukhveer Kandola
• Eva Katsani
• Emma Kent
• David Lancaster
• Heidi Leavesley
• Kirsty Madden
• Ruth Mann
• Patrick Mulligan
• Louise (Carole) Newman
• Matthew Nicholls
• Pulcherie Norbert Dit Imbs
• Alice North
• Roxanne O’Brien
• Niamh O’Maolain
• Nicola Robinson
• Rakesh Sharma
• Katherine Showunmi
• Justine Skeats
• Justin Taylor
• Christopher Taylor
• Rachel Thomas
• Lesley Took
• Andrew Tyler
• Peggy Vance
• Sue Williams
• Miranda Winram

The following members have been appointed for a 5-year term from 4 November 2025 until 3 November 2030:

• Jasmine Basnyet
• Rachelle Broadley
• Kerensa Butcher
• Ewan Duncan
• Paul Froud
• Ruth Glazzard
• Deborah Jago
• Verity Lundy
• Andrew Macnamara
• Zaiba Malik
• Lisa Murphy
• Emma Stranack

The following members have been appointed for a 5-year term from 20 January 2026 until 19 January 2031:

• Matthew Henson
• Michaela Jones
• Geraldine O’Hare
• Farhana Rahman-Cook
• Bethany Smith
• Katie Stevens
• Alan Tallentire
• Hanna Van den Berg

Appointment of Independent members with Law Enforcement experience

The following members have been appointed for a 5-year term from 12 May 2025 until 11 May 2030:

• Richard Tucker
• Martyn Underhill
• Peter White

Reappointment of an Independent member

The following member has been reappointed for a further term of 5 years from 1 December 2024 until 30 November 2029:

• Wendy Poynton

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 12 December 2024.

Victims of crimes will see the perpetrators face justice more quickly under a once-in-a-generation review of criminal courts, the Lord Chancellor announced today (12 December).

As newly released statistics show the Crown Court backlog has reached a record high, the review will look at what more can be done to make sure criminals have their day in court, without delay, get the punishment they deserve, and keep our streets safe.

The review – led by Sir Brian Leveson – will consider the case for new “intermediate courts” where cases too serious for magistrates’ courts but not serious enough for the Crown Court could be heard by a judge, flanked by magistrates.

Sir Brian will also be asked to consider whether Magistrates should be empowered to look at more cases, freeing up capacity in the Crown Court to consider the more complex, serious crimes. By reclassifying some offences and extending magistrates’ sentencing powers, certain trials could move to magistrates’ courts. This would build on the decision to allow magistrates to hand out custodial sentences for up to 12 months announced earlier in the year.

It will also look at where technology can be used to drive efficiencies and improve how the Crown Court functions.

The review comes as statistics published today show the outstanding Crown Court caseload has now risen to 73,105 – nearly double the 38,000 seen before the pandemic. This increase means more victims are facing unprecedented waits for justice, with some trials now being listed for 2027. Victims wait around a year on average for their case to be resolved; for rape victims it’s over two years.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said:

The scale of the Crown Court crisis inherited by this government is unprecedented. Despite the efforts of judges, lawyers and court staff, we simply cannot continue with the status quo.

To deliver the government’s bold Plan for Change and make our streets safer, we require once-in-a-generation reform of a courts system stretched to breaking point.

In many cases, victims are waiting years to see their perpetrator put before a judge, and we know for many victims, justice delayed is as good as justice denied.

We owe it to victims to find bold, innovative approaches that will speed up justice, deliver safer streets and send a clear message to criminals that they will quickly face the consequences of their actions.

The review will build on previous reviews, such as the 2001 Review of the Criminal Courts in England and Wales by Lord Justice Auld and the 2015 report into Efficiency in Criminal Proceedings by Sir Brian Leveson.

It is expected to report back with initial recommendations by Spring 2025.

Sir Brian Leveson said:

I am pleased to contribute to the important task of seeking to address the very real difficulties facing the criminal justice system.

A challenge of this scale requires innovative solutions and I look forward to making my recommendations to the Lord Chancellor in due course.

While the government has taken action to reduce pressure on the courts system, these figures show the scale of the challenge. Even if the Crown Court were to operate at maximum capacity, the backlog would continue to grow. Bold, innovative reforms are therefore the necessary solution.

The reforms being looked at will not only make sure victims get the justice they deserve, but will also relieve pressure on the prison estate and drive down the record remand population.

The plans form part of the government’s commitment to safer streets by reducing the courts backlog, speeding up trials for victims, and rebuilding public confidence in the criminal justice system.

Further information

• The review will be led by Sir Brian Leveson, a former High Court Judge and a previous President of the Queen’s Bench Division
• In October the government doubled sentencing powers for magistrates’ courts in order to divert 2,000 cases away from the Crown Court and to ease pressure on the remand population in our prisons
• The Lord Chancellor also increased the number of sitting days agreed by the previous government, from 106,000 to 106,500
• Fees for criminal legal aid work in police stations and youth courts have been increased by £24 million
• The government also announced its intention to consult on an increase to civil legal aid fees for housing and immigration cases
• The government conducted an external audit on our Criminal Courts data, which has been published for the first time today since March. You can find the updated statistics.
• Sir Brian Leveson will continue as normal in his role at the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 11 December 2024.

Fourteen thousand new prison places, with a target to open by 2031, form part of a 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy to make sure we always have the spaces needed to keep the public safe.

Part of the government’s Plan for Change, and its mission to make our streets safe, 4 new prisons will be built in the next 7 years, opening up around 6,500 places to lock up dangerous criminals.

Under the 10-year prison capacity strategy, unveiled by the Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood today (11 December), a further 6,400 places will be built in new blocks on current sites, 1,000 rapid deployment cells will be rolled out and over 1,000 existing cells will be refurbished.

£2.3 billion will be invested to back this prison build, while a further £500 million will go towards vital building maintenance across prisons and the probation service.

The strategy out today also reveals the scale of the problem this government is facing, after capacity of the prison estate increased by less than 500 places in the 14 years to April 2024.

To get shovels into the ground fast, changes to planning rules will see prisons deemed as sites of national importance, reflecting their critical importance to public protection. This will put an end to lengthy delays in the planning process which are stopping new prisons from being built as quickly as needed.

The government will also get ahead of demand with an ambition to acquire new land for potential future prisons if needed and to make sure the supply always keeps up with demand.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:

The last government pretended they could send people away for longer and longer without building the prisons they promised. This strategy reveals that their prison building plans were years delayed and nearly £5bn over budget. They left our prisons in crisis, on the edge of collapse.

Part of our plan for change, this capacity strategy, alongside an independent review of sentencing policy, will keep our streets safe and ensure no government runs out of prison places again.

In just a few short months, this government has already added around 500 places, as part of the 20,000 place prison expansion programme.

Last week, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government also gave the go ahead for a new prison next to HMP Garth in Lancashire, on greenbelt land, after three years and four months stuck in the planning system. This will allow for around 1700 prison places to be built on the site.

In the last decade, despite significant increases in the time offenders spent in prison, there was no transparency with the public over the growing gulf between supply and demand.

To make sure this government, and future administrations, are always properly held to account on prison building and the long-term impact of changes to sentencing, from now on an Annual Statement on Prison Capacity will be published, providing clarity to Parliament and the public on the availability of prison places.

Today, the Lord Chancellor has published the first statement of its kind.

The 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy will work alongside the Independent Sentencing Review to ensure there is always space in prison and the country never runs out of prison spaces ever again.

The Independent Sentencing Review, chaired by the Rt Hon David Gauke, will make sure the most serious offenders can always be sent to prison to protect the public.

Background information

The government has committed to strengthening the approach to national planning policy to make clear that significant weight should be places on the importance of new, expanded or upgraded infrastructure – including prisons.

The Ministry of Housing and Local Government intends to publish the response to an ongoing consultation and revised National Planning Policy Framework later this year.

We are investing £220 million in prison and probation service maintenance in 2024-2025 and up to £300 million in 2025-26, to improve conditions and keep prisons safe and secure.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 27 November 2024.

The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State has approved the appointment of Martin Pratt and Robert Sullivan as members of the Youth Justice Board (YJB) for 3 years from 1 November 2024 until 31 October 2027.

Martin Pratt

Martin has spent his whole career working in the field of children’s services, including 13 years as a Director of Children’s Services. He was formerly Executive Director Supporting People & Deputy Chief Executive for the London Borough of Camden. He is a qualified social worker and has extensive experience in education and youth justice as well as health and social care.

Robert Sullivan

Robert is the CEO of the UK’s leading sports charity the Football Foundation; a Trustee of the prisoner rehabilitation charity, the Twinning Project; and a former Chair of a homelessness intervention charity. He has a professional background in strategy development, corporate affairs and insight and a personal passion for driving positive social change through sport.

Both did not declare any political activity.

The YJB is a non-departmental public body responsible for overseeing the youth justice system in England and Wales. Its primary function is to monitor the operation of the youth justice system and the provision of youth justice services.

Appointments to the YJB are made by the Secretary of State for Justice and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Recruitment processes comply with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 18 November 2024.

The Lord Chancellor has appointed Kelly Stricklin-Coutinho as a legally qualified member to the Civil Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) from 12 July 2025 until 11 July 2028.

The CPRC is a non-departmental public body. It was established under the Civil Procedure Act 1997 (CPA 1997) to make rules of court, setting out the practice and procedure, for the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal, the High Court and the County Court.

Legally qualified members of the CPRC are appointed by the Lord Chancellor under section 2(1B) of the CPA 1997. The appointment of legally qualified members complies with the Governance Code on Public Appointments and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Biography

Called to the Bar of England and Wales, in 2006, and – in 2020 – called to the Bar of the Republic of Ireland. Kelly qualified as a solicitor of England and Wales in 2008. She has practised at 39 Essex Chambers since 2014.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 14 November 2024.

The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice has approved the appointment of Karin Phillips MBE as a member of the Youth Justice Board (YJB) from 1 November 2024 until 30 September 2025.

Ministers consulted the Commissioner for Public Appointments before making the appointment which will ensure that the YJB has a board member, with experience and knowledge of Wales, while a recruitment exercise is run.

The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice has also approved that the second term of Keith Fraser, the Chair of the YJB Chair, be extended from 14 April 2025 until 31 December 2025.

Karin Phillips MBE

Karin is currently a school governor at a high school in Cardiff, where she serves as the lead governor for music, drama, and safeguarding. Previously, she held the position of vice chair on the governing body of a primary school. Following several years in medical research, she transitioned to the Government Statistical Service. Mrs Phillips has held multiple positions within the Welsh Government, including the role of Deputy Director for Community Safety.

In recognition of her contributions to Community Safety in Wales and to the community in Cardiff, she was honoured with the MBE in the 2014 New Year Honours List.

Keith Fraser YJB Chair

Keith was appointed YJB Chair on 14 April 2020 and was subsequently reappointed on 14 April 2023. Keith is: Non-Executive Director/Trustee at The Work Force Development Trust; Committee Member for the Youth Endowment Fund; Patron for Employability UK. Keith was made a Commissioner for the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities on 16 July 2020.

Prior to this, Keith was a Superintendent and Chief Inspector in the West Midlands Police, during which time he produced the 2016-19 Preventing Gang Involvement and Youth Violence strategy, having previously joined the Metropolitan Police Service as a Constable.

All did not declare any political activity.

The YJB is a non-departmental public body, responsible for overseeing the youth justice system in England and Wales. Its primary function is to monitor the operation of the youth justice system and the provision of youth justice services.

Appointments to the YJB are made by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Appointments and Reappointments comply with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 14 November 2024.

Criminal legal aid will be bolstered by £24 million, as part of government work to tackle crisis in the justice system and keep courts running.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 14 November 2024.

Technological innovations and international prison policies are among things being studied as part of the government’s Sentencing Review.

The review, which aims to end the crisis in our prisons and make sure the country always has the prisons space needed to keep people safe, will consider how other jurisdictions who have faced similar capacity challenges have been able to tackle rising prison populations and reducing reoffending.

To ensure the review considers all aspects of the justice system, including the impact of changes on victims, an expert panel has been appointed to support independent chair David Gauke. This includes former Chief Executives of the Crown Prosecution Service, Peter Lewis and HMPPS, Michael Spurr, as well as former Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Executive Director of End Violence Against Women Andrea Simon.

The review will be further informed by a call for evidence launched today [14 November 2024] with academics, experts and the public encouraged to share ideas for innovation and reform over the next eight weeks.

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Shabana Mahmood said:

No Lord Chancellor should be put in the invidious position I was on taking office – faced with a prison system on the verge of collapse. We must make sure there are always a cell to lock up dangerous offenders.

This panel represents a wealth of experience. I have no doubt it will be invaluable in delivering a review which will help set out the long-term plan for our prisons.

The panel appointed to support David Gauke are:

• Lord Burnett – Previous Lord Chief Justice (2017 – 2023)
• Catherine Larsen KPM – A retired inspector from Avon and Somerset whose work included transforming the way rape and serious sexual offences are investigated by the police
• Nicola Padfield KC (Hon) – Criminal Law Barrister Emeritus Professor of Criminal and Penal Justice at the Law Faculty, University of Cambridge
• Sir Peter Lewis – Former Chief Executive of Crown Prosecution Service (2007-2016), Former Registrar of the International Criminal Court (2023).
• Michael Spurr – Former Chief Executive of HMPPS (2010-2019)
• Andrea Simon – Executive Director at End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW)

The call for evidence will explore key themes including the structure of sentencing, use of technology as tough alternatives to custody, custodial and non-custodial sentences, as well as the individual needs of both victims and offenders.

Review Chair David Gauke said:

This review will investigate how we can create a more effective criminal justice system, looking to jurisdictions who have faced similar challenges, and at how we can harness new technology to manage offenders in and out of prison.

I welcome responses to the call for evidence which challenge current thinking, are innovative, and which spotlight how best practice can be scaled, so we can build a justice system which works both now and in the future.

Alongside the call for evidence, international learnings will be a central focus for the panel.  Sweden and the Netherlands have both used technology to manage offenders in and outside of prison and tackle rising prison populations. This has included an electronic monitoring system integrated between prisons and probation in the Netherlands, and using mobile apps in Sweden to support rehabilitation outside of prison, such as improving attendance at probation meetings.

Texas faced similar capacity challenges to England and Wales in the early 2000s. In 2007, prisons were at capacity and the population was predicted to rise, needing an additional 17,000 cells over the next five years. Under a system implemented by a Republican governor, prisoners can now reduce the time they spend in custody by participating in courses aimed at tackling the root causes of crime, and for good behaviour. The Texan prison population has now decreased by over 20,000 and crime in the area has fallen.

In developing its recommendations, the Sentencing Review will follow 3 core principles to ensure a sustainable justice system:

• make sure prison sentences punish serious offenders and protect the public, and there is always the space in prison for the most dangerous offenders
• look at what more can be done to encourage offenders to turn their backs on a life of crime, and keep the public safe by reducing reoffending
• explore tougher punishments outside of prison to make sure these sentences cut crime while making the best use of taxpayers’ money

The review will submit its findings in full to the Lord Chancellor by Spring 2025.

Notes to editors

The seven key themes the call for evidence will explore are:

• History and Trends in sentencing
• The Structure of sentencing
• The use of technology within sentencing
• Community sentences
• Custodial sentences
• The progression of custodial sentences
• The individual needs of victims and offenders