Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nick Timothy and Ellie Reeves

Thursday 18th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Nick Timothy (West Suffolk) (Con)]

7. What advice she has given the Government on the potential impact of removing jury trials on the rule of law.

[The Solicitor General (Ellie Reeves)]

This Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record caseload of 80,000 criminal cases waiting to be heard in the Crown court. Doing nothing was not an option. Let me be clear: jury trials remain a cornerstone of our justice system, but justice delayed is justice denied. Too many victims are being let down and too many defendants are being denied a fair and timely trial due to the ongoing crisis in our courts. That is what the reforms are about.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Solicitor General]

Jury trials make up 3% of cases currently heard in the criminal courts. It is important for both victims and defendants that they are not waiting years and years for their cases to get to court, which is happening as a result of the crisis that the previous Government left us in. The most serious cases will still be heard by juries—for example, rape, murder and grievous bodily harm cases—and it is important that justice is delivered swiftly.

[Nick Timothy]

I am going to do my best to get an answer, but I am not sure I will get one, based on the two we have just heard. Without any kind of mandate, the Government want to do away with jury trials and to extend the powers of magistrates to sentence people for up to two years, without any right to appeal the conviction or the sentence. Will the Solicitor General confirm that, of the 5,000 cases appealed from magistrates courts last year, more than 40% were upheld? Is it the Government’s policy simply to live with that number of miscarriages of justice?

[The Solicitor General]

The hon. Gentleman is wrong to say that we are getting rid of jury trials. I will say it again: less than 3% of cases are currently heard by a jury. Under the proposals, some cases would be heard by a Crown court bench, or by the magistrates courts. When we are facing backlogs of up to three years and rape victims are not having their cases heard, doing nothing is not an option.

In relation to the hon. Gentleman’s point about appeals, Sir Brian Leveson has recommended introducing a permission stage for appeals. We are not doing away with appeals. Appeals that have merit will still be heard.

Alleged Spying Case: Role of Attorney General’s Office

Debate between Nick Timothy and Ellie Reeves

Thursday 23rd October 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Solicitor General]

The Attorney General will be setting out his evidence to the Joint Committee next Tuesday.

[Nick Timothy (West Suffolk) (Con)]

To be perfectly honest, I do not know what the point is in me asking this question, because we have had two weeks of statements and urgent questions, and Ministers keep attacking straw men and answering questions that are not actually being asked. It is pathetic.

On Monday, the Security Minister came to the House and was asked several times when the Home Secretary knew that the case was going to collapse and what representations she made to ensure that the case was as strong as possible. He did not answer that several times. When did the Home Secretary know? What representations did she make and to whom did she make them? Surely among them was the National Security Adviser, the Prime Minister and the Attorney General.

[The Solicitor General]

I do not speak on behalf of the Home Secretary, but I am sure that she will be happy to address the hon. Member’s points.