Ministry of Justice

The Independent Sentencing Review recommends a reduction in short prison sentences.

There is a compelling case for doing so: in the most recent data, nearly 60% of those receiving a 12-month sentence reoffended within a year. It is important, however, to note that the review recommends a reduction in short sentences, not abolition. It is right that judges retain the discretion to hand them down in exceptional circumstances, which David Gauke suggested could be in situations of domestic abuse.

We have also been clear that anyone who breaches protective orders linked to violence against women and girls, such as stalking and domestic abuse protection orders, will be excluded from this presumption.

The Independent Sentencing Review recommends a reduction in short prison sentences.

There is a compelling case for doing so: in the most recent data, nearly 60% of those receiving a 12-month sentence reoffended within a year. It is important, however, to note that the review recommends a reduction in short sentences, not abolition. It is right that judges retain the discretion to hand them down in exceptional circumstances, which David Gauke suggested could be in situations of domestic abuse.

We have also been clear that anyone who breaches protective orders linked to violence against women and girls, such as stalking and domestic abuse protection orders, will be excluded from this presumption.

Releasing information on financial penalties would prejudice, or would likely prejudice, Serco Group Limited’s commercial interests.

To provide the number of outstanding monitoring visits in need of completion by Serco in each of the past 12 months would be of disproportionate cost.

While the backlog of outstanding visits has been significantly reduced, Serco’s overall performance remains below acceptable levels. We continue to hold them to account for that and will not hesitate to impose further financial penalties where necessary.

The performance requirements are detailed within the Key Performance Indicators in the Field and Monitoring Service contract, and these are available on Contracts Finders under Schedule 3 of the contract: Electronic Monitoring Field and Monitoring Service (FMS) - Contracts Finder. Whilst we acknowledge that performance has been unacceptable, the Ministry of Justice continues to hold Serco to account for poor performance and we are overseeing service improvements.

During the procurement of the Field and Monitoring Service contract, all suppliers were required to provide details of their safeguarding processes, and these were assessed as part of the evaluation process. The contract outlines the ongoing audit rights that allow the Ministry of Justice to review all processes. There is an annual assurance test completed by the contract management team to ensure that what suppliers have outlined is being adhered to, and the next assurance is scheduled to be carried out in July 2025.

The Field and Monitoring Service contract is already published and is available on Contracts Finder: Electronic Monitoring Field and Monitoring Service (FMS) - Contracts Finder. Specifically, please refer to the schedules referenced Core Terms and Schedule 3 (Performance).

Releasing information on financial penalties would prejudice, or would likely prejudice, Serco Group Limited’s commercial interests.

To provide the number of outstanding monitoring visits in need of completion by Serco in each of the past 12 months would be of disproportionate cost.

While the backlog of outstanding visits has been significantly reduced, Serco’s overall performance remains below acceptable levels. We continue to hold them to account for that and will not hesitate to impose further financial penalties where necessary.

The performance requirements are detailed within the Key Performance Indicators in the Field and Monitoring Service contract, and these are available on Contracts Finders under Schedule 3 of the contract: Electronic Monitoring Field and Monitoring Service (FMS) - Contracts Finder. Whilst we acknowledge that performance has been unacceptable, the Ministry of Justice continues to hold Serco to account for poor performance and we are overseeing service improvements.

During the procurement of the Field and Monitoring Service contract, all suppliers were required to provide details of their safeguarding processes, and these were assessed as part of the evaluation process. The contract outlines the ongoing audit rights that allow the Ministry of Justice to review all processes. There is an annual assurance test completed by the contract management team to ensure that what suppliers have outlined is being adhered to, and the next assurance is scheduled to be carried out in July 2025.

The Field and Monitoring Service contract is already published and is available on Contracts Finder: Electronic Monitoring Field and Monitoring Service (FMS) - Contracts Finder. Specifically, please refer to the schedules referenced Core Terms and Schedule 3 (Performance).

Releasing information on financial penalties would prejudice, or would likely prejudice, Serco Group Limited’s commercial interests.

To provide the number of outstanding monitoring visits in need of completion by Serco in each of the past 12 months would be of disproportionate cost.

While the backlog of outstanding visits has been significantly reduced, Serco’s overall performance remains below acceptable levels. We continue to hold them to account for that and will not hesitate to impose further financial penalties where necessary.

The performance requirements are detailed within the Key Performance Indicators in the Field and Monitoring Service contract, and these are available on Contracts Finders under Schedule 3 of the contract: Electronic Monitoring Field and Monitoring Service (FMS) - Contracts Finder. Whilst we acknowledge that performance has been unacceptable, the Ministry of Justice continues to hold Serco to account for poor performance and we are overseeing service improvements.

During the procurement of the Field and Monitoring Service contract, all suppliers were required to provide details of their safeguarding processes, and these were assessed as part of the evaluation process. The contract outlines the ongoing audit rights that allow the Ministry of Justice to review all processes. There is an annual assurance test completed by the contract management team to ensure that what suppliers have outlined is being adhered to, and the next assurance is scheduled to be carried out in July 2025.

The Field and Monitoring Service contract is already published and is available on Contracts Finder: Electronic Monitoring Field and Monitoring Service (FMS) - Contracts Finder. Specifically, please refer to the schedules referenced Core Terms and Schedule 3 (Performance).

Releasing information on financial penalties would prejudice, or would likely prejudice, Serco Group Limited’s commercial interests.

To provide the number of outstanding monitoring visits in need of completion by Serco in each of the past 12 months would be of disproportionate cost.

While the backlog of outstanding visits has been significantly reduced, Serco’s overall performance remains below acceptable levels. We continue to hold them to account for that and will not hesitate to impose further financial penalties where necessary.

The performance requirements are detailed within the Key Performance Indicators in the Field and Monitoring Service contract, and these are available on Contracts Finders under Schedule 3 of the contract: Electronic Monitoring Field and Monitoring Service (FMS) - Contracts Finder. Whilst we acknowledge that performance has been unacceptable, the Ministry of Justice continues to hold Serco to account for poor performance and we are overseeing service improvements.

During the procurement of the Field and Monitoring Service contract, all suppliers were required to provide details of their safeguarding processes, and these were assessed as part of the evaluation process. The contract outlines the ongoing audit rights that allow the Ministry of Justice to review all processes. There is an annual assurance test completed by the contract management team to ensure that what suppliers have outlined is being adhered to, and the next assurance is scheduled to be carried out in July 2025.

The Field and Monitoring Service contract is already published and is available on Contracts Finder: Electronic Monitoring Field and Monitoring Service (FMS) - Contracts Finder. Specifically, please refer to the schedules referenced Core Terms and Schedule 3 (Performance).

Releasing information on financial penalties would prejudice, or would likely prejudice, Serco Group Limited’s commercial interests.

To provide the number of outstanding monitoring visits in need of completion by Serco in each of the past 12 months would be of disproportionate cost.

While the backlog of outstanding visits has been significantly reduced, Serco’s overall performance remains below acceptable levels. We continue to hold them to account for that and will not hesitate to impose further financial penalties where necessary.

The performance requirements are detailed within the Key Performance Indicators in the Field and Monitoring Service contract, and these are available on Contracts Finders under Schedule 3 of the contract: Electronic Monitoring Field and Monitoring Service (FMS) - Contracts Finder. Whilst we acknowledge that performance has been unacceptable, the Ministry of Justice continues to hold Serco to account for poor performance and we are overseeing service improvements.

During the procurement of the Field and Monitoring Service contract, all suppliers were required to provide details of their safeguarding processes, and these were assessed as part of the evaluation process. The contract outlines the ongoing audit rights that allow the Ministry of Justice to review all processes. There is an annual assurance test completed by the contract management team to ensure that what suppliers have outlined is being adhered to, and the next assurance is scheduled to be carried out in July 2025.

The Field and Monitoring Service contract is already published and is available on Contracts Finder: Electronic Monitoring Field and Monitoring Service (FMS) - Contracts Finder. Specifically, please refer to the schedules referenced Core Terms and Schedule 3 (Performance).

The 10,438 offenders reported as untagged is misleading. It includes duplicates and errors that have not been corrected through our audit and quality assurance processes which are currently underway.

The information requested through the PQ could only be obtained at disproportionate cost due to data quality issues.

No such estimates have been produced. Any financial consequences from implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s revised code of practice in HM Courts and Tribunals Service will be considered as part of the agency’s annual budgeting cycle.

No such estimates have been produced. Any financial consequences from implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s revised code of practice in HM Courts and Tribunals Service will be considered as part of the agency’s annual budgeting cycle.

The UK participates in regular engagement with the Council of Europe and its member States – including on the important issues raised in this letter.

No such estimates have been produced. Any financial implications of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s revised Code of Practice at MoJ HQ will be considered as part of the Department’s annual budgeting process.

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) does not provide location information in the results of register searches. The information given is limited to whether a power of attorney, deputyship order or guardianship order is in place, and the scope and nature of the power. The OPG cannot conduct a search of a register unless the requestor provides the address of the donor of the power or of the person subject to the Court order. A request without this information would deliver a “no result” response.

Data on the number of prosecutions under the Single Justice Procedure which have been reopened via the statutory declaration process is not held centrally and could only be collated at disproportionate cost.

Whilst most enforcement agencies have already signed up to the Enforcement Conduct Board’s (ECB) voluntary accreditation scheme, the Government believes that it is necessary to take action so that all enforcement agents, High Court Enforcement Officer and agencies are regulated to the same standards and overseen by the same body. To that end, a public consultation was launched on 9 June to explore how best to achieve this. The package of measures on which we are consulting includes a proposal to place the ECB on a statutory footing and for all enforcement agents to come within its auspices.

Responses to the consultation will inform legislation to be brought forward as soon as parliamentary time allows.

No such estimates have been produced. Any financial consequences from implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s revised code of practice in prisons will be considered as part of HM Prison and Probation Service’s annual budgeting cycle.

Prior to any placement, a risk assessment would be carried out by a multidisciplinary panel chaired by a specially trained senior prison manager, with senior staff from the HMPPS Womens Group including a psychologist. Assessments take account of all known risks posed by an individual, based on a comprehensive range of factors, together with the potential impact on other prisoners.

This Government inherited the policy regarding allocation of transgender prisoners from the previous Government. No transgender women have been moved into the general women’s estate, including at HMP Downview, since 4 July 2024. We are reviewing the policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes to our approach in due course.

Prior to any placement, a risk assessment would be carried out by a multidisciplinary panel chaired by a specially trained senior prison manager, with senior staff from the HMPPS Womens Group including a psychologist. Assessments take account of all known risks posed by an individual, based on a comprehensive range of factors, together with the potential impact on other prisoners.

This Government inherited the policy regarding allocation of transgender prisoners from the previous Government. No transgender women have been moved into the general women’s estate, including at HMP Downview, since 4 July 2024. We are reviewing the policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes to our approach in due course.

Prior to any placement, a risk assessment would be carried out by a multidisciplinary panel chaired by a specially trained senior prison manager, with senior staff from the HMPPS Womens Group including a psychologist. Assessments take account of all known risks posed by an individual, based on a comprehensive range of factors, together with the potential impact on other prisoners.

This Government inherited the policy regarding allocation of transgender prisoners from the previous Government. No transgender women have been moved into the general women’s estate, including at HMP Downview, since 4 July 2024. We are reviewing the policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes to our approach in due course.

Prior to any placement, a risk assessment would be carried out by a multidisciplinary panel chaired by a specially trained senior prison manager, with senior staff from the HMPPS Womens Group including a psychologist. Assessments take account of all known risks posed by an individual, based on a comprehensive range of factors, together with the potential impact on other prisoners.

This Government inherited the policy regarding allocation of transgender prisoners from the previous Government. No transgender women have been moved into the general women’s estate, including at HMP Downview, since 4 July 2024. We are reviewing the policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes to our approach in due course.

It is vital that those who need legal aid – some of the most vulnerable people in our society – can access it wherever they live in the UK.

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for commissioning legal aid services in England and Wales. The LAA monitors the numbers of providers in each procurement area and across all categories of law. It takes operational action to respond to market pressures that may arise and works closely with the Ministry of Justice on policy solutions concerning the supply of legal aid. Procurement for legal aid contracts is now operated under the ‘always on principle’ so that the procurement remains open during the life of the contract. This new approach enables new entrants to apply for a contract at any time and for existing providers to expand their services. It is a more flexible approach removing hard deadlines and maximising the available supply of services so that we can adapt quickly and ensure everyone has access to legal aid.

The Ministry of Justice has recently concluded a consultation on uplifts to housing & debt and immigration & asylum legal aid fees (which once fully implemented, would inject an additional £20 million into the sector each year), and is currently consulting on funding of up to £92 million more a year for criminal legal aid solicitors.

The Department is also providing over £6 million of legal support grant funding up to March 2026 to deliver free legal support and advice for people with social welfare legal problems. This includes the ‘Improving Outcomes Through Legal Support’ grant, which supports the work of organisations across England and Wales to sustain and improve access to early legal support and advice, including support at court. It also includes the ‘Online Support and AdviceGrant’, which ensures the provision of online support across a range of civil, family and tribunal problems via one service (Advicenow). The Advicenow website includes information about how to get legal aid in relevant areas of law and signposts users to further information and support.

On 22 May, the Lord Chancellor set out the Government’s in-principle response to the Independent Sentencing Review’s findings and recommendations, which will help to ensure that prisons never run out of space again and dangerous offenders can be kept off the streets. This includes a recommendation to introduce a statutory requirement for courts to record judicial findings of domestic abuse at sentencing to better identify them.

The Government remains committed to ensuring that this better identification leads to more effective risk management and stronger victim protection, as part of our landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade.

The Victims’ Commissioner met with the Lord Chancellor, Minister Dakin and the Chair of the Independent Sentencing Review, David Gauke, to discuss the recommendations.

The Department continues to engage a range of representatives of the victims’ sector on the Government’s response to the Review.

There are currently seven biological male prisoners at HMP Downview and all of them are on E Wing, which is a transgender only facility.

No transgender women who retain their birth genitalia, and/or have any history of sexual or violent offences, can be held in the general women’s estate unless an exemption is granted by a Minister.  The current Government has not moved any transgender women into the general women’s estate since taking office.

We are reviewing the policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes to our approach in due course.

There are currently seven biological male prisoners at HMP Downview and all of them are on E Wing, which is a transgender only facility.

No transgender women who retain their birth genitalia, and/or have any history of sexual or violent offences, can be held in the general women’s estate unless an exemption is granted by a Minister.  The current Government has not moved any transgender women into the general women’s estate since taking office.

We are reviewing the policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes to our approach in due course.

This Government inherited prisons days from collapse. We have had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe.

Reoffending rates are published regularly on an annual and quarterly basis. The most recent rates are available at the link below: Proven reoffending statistics - GOV.UK.

There has not been any significant increase in recall following SDS40.

We have also published SDS40 release data alongside the quarterly Offender Management Statistics, in line with the Lord Chancellor’s commitment to transparency: Standard Determinate Sentence (SDS40) release data - GOV.UK.

There were 145 cases awaiting listing for a hearing and 4479 cases already listed at the week commencing 2 June 2025.

Wandsworth County Court is part of the London Civil and Family Cluster. Performance is discussed weekly, and the cluster priorities agreed. Work is moved around the cluster to ensure that the quickest possible service is delivered. Continuous Improvement exercises continue to be undertaken to ensure the best customer service.

Over the last 12 months, overall workload in the cluster has reduced by 30%, and in Wandsworth by 20%. This has been achieved by sharing work with other courts, additional judicial recruitment, sitting days and digitalisation of online money claims.

While there have been significant recruitment and retention issues at Wandsworth in the past, we have now filled all vacancies following a targeted recruitment campaign.

This Government inherited a broken justice system with record and rising court backlogs. We are determined to reverse these trends in this Parliament. HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) continues to invest in improving tribunal productivity by:

• Increasing capacity. The Lord Chancellor announced on 5 March 2025 a record investment of £2.5 billion across all court and tribunals, both civil and criminal, in 2025/26. This will allow HMCTS to increase the number of sitting days available to the tribunals to close to maximum capacity and continue a substantial judicial recruitment programme which is already underway. We have continued investment this year in the recruitment of up to 1,000 judges and tribunal members across all jurisdictions. This includes recruitment targeted at First-tier Tribunal chambers with the greatest business need.

• Smarter case management. The Government is encouraging the greater use of technology to speed up the start to end process from receipt of appeal applications to their disposal. For example, in the Employment Tribunals, HMCTS has introduced a new digital case-management system, legal-officer triage, remote-hearing technology and a “virtual region” to hear appeal applications more efficiently. We are also investing in expanding our mediation offering to resolve cases before they reach the Tribunal, such as in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal where we have expanded the remit of Judicial Alternative Dispute Resolution.

We expect these actions to have a positive effect on timeliness performance.

The Lord Chancellor has appointed Dame Vera Baird DBE KC to carry out a thorough review of the operation of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, to increase public confidence in the organisation and the important work it undertakes investigating potential miscarriages of justice.

To reach as many potentially impacted individuals as possible, the Ministry of Justice published a notice at 08:15 on 19 May on GOV.UK. The statement provides information about the cyber-attack and directs concerned members of the public to the National Cyber Security Centre’s webpage.

Further, the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has set up a dedicated helpline that will be available from Tuesday 27 May for members of the public who are concerned they may have been affected by the LAA data breach. HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) is working with the LAA to facilitate this by standing up an operational call centre team to handle telephone calls.

In the days following the discovery, we took immediate action to inform all legal aid providers that some of their details, including financial information, may have been compromised. Further updates, including the decision to temporarily take the LAA's portal offline and contingency measures implemented have been provided by email and a dedicated information page relating to the cyber-attack has been set up: Legal Aid Agency cyber-security incident - GOV.UK.

The cyber-attack is subject to an ongoing investigation and the LAA continues to work closely with the National Crime Agency and National Cyber Security Centre. Appropriate actions have been taken to mitigate the impact of the attack and contingency measures have been put in place to ensure those most in need of legal support and advice can continue to access the help they need during this time, as outlined on LAA’s dedicated information page.

At the current time, no information about previous or current legal aid service users, such as criminal histories, has been made public as a result of the cyber attack.

This data breach is the result of heinous criminal activity, but it was enabled by the long years of neglect and mismanagement of the justice system under the last Conservative Government. The previous Government knew about the vulnerabilities of the Legal Aid Agency digital systems, but did not act. By contrast, since taking office, this Government have prioritised work to reverse the damage of over a decade of under-investment. That includes the allocation of over £20 million in extra funding this year to stabilise and transform the Legal Aid Agency digital services. This investment will make the system more robust and resilient in the face of similar cyber-attacks in future.

To reach as many potentially impacted individuals as possible, the Ministry of Justice published a notice at 08:15 on 19 May on GOV.UK. The statement provides information about the cyber-attack and directs concerned members of the public to the National Cyber Security Centre’s webpage.

Further, the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has set up a dedicated helpline that will be available from Tuesday 27 May for members of the public who are concerned they may have been affected by the LAA data breach. HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) is working with the LAA to facilitate this by standing up an operational call centre team to handle telephone calls.

In the days following the discovery, we took immediate action to inform all legal aid providers that some of their details, including financial information, may have been compromised. Further updates, including the decision to temporarily take the LAA's portal offline and contingency measures implemented have been provided by email and a dedicated information page relating to the cyber-attack has been set up: Legal Aid Agency cyber-security incident - GOV.UK.

The cyber-attack is subject to an ongoing investigation and the LAA continues to work closely with the National Crime Agency and National Cyber Security Centre. Appropriate actions have been taken to mitigate the impact of the attack and contingency measures have been put in place to ensure those most in need of legal support and advice can continue to access the help they need during this time, as outlined on LAA’s dedicated information page.

At the current time, no information about previous or current legal aid service users, such as criminal histories, has been made public as a result of the cyber attack.

This data breach is the result of heinous criminal activity, but it was enabled by the long years of neglect and mismanagement of the justice system under the last Conservative Government. The previous Government knew about the vulnerabilities of the Legal Aid Agency digital systems, but did not act. By contrast, since taking office, this Government have prioritised work to reverse the damage of over a decade of under-investment. That includes the allocation of over £20 million in extra funding this year to stabilise and transform the Legal Aid Agency digital services. This investment will make the system more robust and resilient in the face of similar cyber-attacks in future.

We do not have a list of the offences prosecutable under the Single Justice Procedure (SJP). It can be used to deal with any non-imprisonable summary-only offence in cases which are non-contested and where the prosecutor considers it appropriate. In all SJP cases, the defendant has the option to choose for their case to be heard in open court rather than through the SJP process.

Our consultation on the Oversight and Regulation of Private Prosecutors, which closed on 8 May 2025, looks at the operation of the SJP generally. We are analysing the responses which will inform future work in this area, including the need for reforms to ensure the SJP operates in a fair and transparent manner.

The Secretary of State has not discussed the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill with counterparts in the Welsh Government.

The Government is neutral on the matter of assisted dying and the passage of the Bill.

The number of older prisoners has risen significantly over the past 20 years, and we recognise that this can pose particular challenges for some prisons.

The Model of Operational Delivery for older prisoners published by His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service, sets out how prisons should support all older prisoners, including older women and older prisoners on short sentences.

We have accepted in principle the vast majority of the Independent Sentencing Review’s recommendations and we will work with partners and the sector as we develop our approach.

The contract for HMP/YOI Eastwood Park’s current programme for prisoners aged 50 and over, is due to end. To replace it, HMP Eastwood Park plans to put out a tender for similar services, but covering the entire population, rather than only those over 50.

The number of older prisoners has risen significantly over the past 20 years, and we recognise that this can pose particular challenges for some prisons.

The Model of Operational Delivery for older prisoners published by His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service, sets out how prisons should support all older prisoners, including older women and older prisoners on short sentences.

We have accepted in principle the vast majority of the Independent Sentencing Review’s recommendations and we will work with partners and the sector as we develop our approach.

The contract for HMP/YOI Eastwood Park’s current programme for prisoners aged 50 and over, is due to end. To replace it, HMP Eastwood Park plans to put out a tender for similar services, but covering the entire population, rather than only those over 50.

The number of older prisoners has risen significantly over the past 20 years, and we recognise that this can pose particular challenges for some prisons.

The Model of Operational Delivery for older prisoners published by His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service, sets out how prisons should support all older prisoners, including older women and older prisoners on short sentences.

We have accepted in principle the vast majority of the Independent Sentencing Review’s recommendations and we will work with partners and the sector as we develop our approach.

The contract for HMP/YOI Eastwood Park’s current programme for prisoners aged 50 and over, is due to end. To replace it, HMP Eastwood Park plans to put out a tender for similar services, but covering the entire population, rather than only those over 50.

It is vital that those who need legal aid, some of the most vulnerable people in our society, can access it wherever they live. We are funding provisions such as Advicenow, which is an online provision.

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) monitors the numbers of providers in each procurement area and across all categories of law. It takes operational action where it can, to respond to market pressures that may arise and works closely with the Ministry of Justice on policy solutions concerning the supply of legal aid.

Procurement for legal aid contracts is now operated under the ‘always on principle’ so that the procurement remains open during the life of the contract. This is a significant change from the previous approach where firms could only bid to join at the initial tender of what typically was a five-year contract term. This new approach enables new entrants to apply for a contract at any time and for existing providers to expand their services. It is a more flexible approach removing hard deadlines and maximising the available supply of services.

The LAA is satisfied that there is adequate access to legal aid services in Harpenden and Berkhamsted across all categories of legal aid. Provision includes local services such as duty solicitor schemes and national services such as early legal advice under the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service and advice relating to housing, debt, education and discrimination via the Civil Legal Advice telephone service.

The Ministry of Justice has recently concluded a consultation on uplifts to civil legal aid fees (which once fully implemented, would inject an additional £20 million into the sector each year), and is currently consulting on funding of up to £92 million more a year for criminal legal aid solicitors.

This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. For this financial year (25/26), this Government is funding a record allocation of Crown Court sitting days to deliver swifter justice for victims – 110,000 sitting days this year, 4,000 higher than the previous Government funded. However, the scale of the challenge is beyond what increasing sitting days can achieve. In civil justice, courts and tribunals are sitting at, or close to maximum judicial capacity in every jurisdiction.

That is why we have commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to conduct a review of the courts that will propose once-in-a-generation reform to deliver swifter justice for victims.

In the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency:

Criminal Courts: 

• St Albans Crown Court has seen an increase in Circuit Judges, and an increase in courtrooms from 6 to 7. The open caseload at this court was reduced by 3% in 2024.

• In the magistrates’ court, additional Legal Advisors are being recruited. The open caseload in Herts area was reduced by 14% in 2024.

Family and Civil Courts: 

• Our focus across Hertfordshire is to progress the family and civil cases in as timely a way as possible whilst balancing the individual circumstances and needs of each case. The Designated Family and Civil Judges, along with HMCTS, have implemented a robust case progression initiative. Cases are reviewed and cases that are suitable for the hearing date to be brought forward are prioritised. This is achieved by utilising courtroom capacity that becomes available from other cases resolving.

We do not hold spend data for each region. Total annual spend across all 4 language services contracts, with % increases have been calculated and set out below:

Off-contract spend:

The use of off-contract is typically to cover requirements that arise at short notice and those that are more challenging to fulfil, such as the requirement for languages that are rare or scarce, and as such are more expensive to source. The use of off-contract interpreters allows hearings to go ahead, to continue the delivery of justice.

The next generation of contracts, currently being procured, includes the use of a secondary supplier of interpreters, specifically to source those short notice bookings, and to bring this spend on-contract, with benefits such as improved data and value for money.

Performance levels can be accessed via the Published statistics, which can be found at: Criminal court statistics - GOV.UK

Comparison (2020–2024)

We do not hold spend data for each region. Total annual spend across all 4 language services contracts, with % increases have been calculated and set out below:

Off-contract spend:

The use of off-contract is typically to cover requirements that arise at short notice and those that are more challenging to fulfil, such as the requirement for languages that are rare or scarce, and as such are more expensive to source. The use of off-contract interpreters allows hearings to go ahead, to continue the delivery of justice.

The next generation of contracts, currently being procured, includes the use of a secondary supplier of interpreters, specifically to source those short notice bookings, and to bring this spend on-contract, with benefits such as improved data and value for money.

Performance levels can be accessed via the Published statistics, which can be found at: Criminal court statistics - GOV.UK

Comparison (2020–2024)

We do not hold spend data for each region. Total annual spend across all 4 language services contracts, with % increases have been calculated and set out below:

Off-contract spend:

The use of off-contract is typically to cover requirements that arise at short notice and those that are more challenging to fulfil, such as the requirement for languages that are rare or scarce, and as such are more expensive to source. The use of off-contract interpreters allows hearings to go ahead, to continue the delivery of justice.

The next generation of contracts, currently being procured, includes the use of a secondary supplier of interpreters, specifically to source those short notice bookings, and to bring this spend on-contract, with benefits such as improved data and value for money.

Performance levels can be accessed via the Published statistics, which can be found at: Criminal court statistics - GOV.UK

Comparison (2020–2024)

The Ministry of Justice has no plans to commission an independent inquiry into the (a) scientific validity, (b) cost and (c) potential misuse of hair strand testing for methamphetamine in family court proceedings.

The President of the Family Division has set up a working group of the Family Justice Council on the use of hair strand testing in the family courts. We await the group’s findings with interest.

The Secretary of State met the incoming interim Chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, Dame Vera Baird DBE KC, on 3 June 2025.