Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions

Alex Chalk Excerpts
Tuesday 3rd November 2015

(8 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alex Chalk Portrait Alex Chalk (Cheltenham) (Con)
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Whether or not the criminal courts charge survives in the long term, will the Secretary of State give the most careful and timely consideration in the short term to giving discretion to judges and magistrates as to whether it should be imposed so that they can do justice in the instant case?

Michael Gove Portrait Michael Gove
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As I acknowledged earlier, the criminal courts charge is a cause of concern across the House, but it is also important that we maintain a balance between the funding of our courts coming from the taxpayer and that coming from those who use our courts. My hon. Friend makes a valuable submission on which I shall reflect.