Oral Answers to Questions

Catherine Fookes Excerpts

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Courts and Legal Services (Sarah Sackman)]

The Government recognise the profound financial and psychological impact that SLAPPs have on individuals, and their corrosive effect on our democracy and public discourse. As the hon. Gentleman will know, we commenced the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, and we remain committed to introducing legislation. I recently met the right hon. Member for Maldon (Sir John Whittingdale), and am grateful to him for the constructive discussions that we are having. I will set out the Government’s position on Second Reading of his private Member’s Bill on 27 November.

[Catherine Fookes (Monmouthshire) (Lab)]

T6. Twenty-year-old Sophie Brimble was killed when a car driven by her boyfriend crashed into a lamp post at three times the speed limit. I applaud her family, who have worked incredibly hard through their grief, and have put out a petition, which has been signed by more than 100,000 people, to change the law on “unfit to plead”. The driver was deemed unfit to plead at the time because of his injuries; earlier this year, a judge gave him an absolute discharge, deeming him unfit to stand trial again. Will the Minister meet me and the family, and update me on the progress towards changing the law?

[Sarah Sackman]

I would be glad to meet my hon. Friend to discuss Sophie’s tragic case. The Government agree that the law and procedure on unfitness to plead require updating. We are actively considering how best to take forward the Law Commission’s proposed changes, including modernising the legal test for unfitness to plead and the issue of whether courts should have a broader, more flexible range of disposals when dealing with such cases.