Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions

Peter Bottomley Excerpts
Tuesday 8th October 2019

(4 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Robert Buckland Portrait Robert Buckland
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I am grateful to the hon. Lady for raising that point. The level of appeals and the number of successful appeals remain stubbornly high, which has been of concern to all of us who have taken an interest in this for many years. I want to see the mandatory reassessment process be as meaningful as possible so that the courts are not having in effect to overturn these decisions. I take her point onboard and am looking at it anxiously.

Peter Bottomley Portrait Sir Peter Bottomley (Worthing West) (Con)
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I am aware of two cases in the last year where the most senior Appeal Court judges have come to a unanimous agreement only for that to be followed by unanimous disagreement in the Supreme Court. The Justice Secretary might know of more. Would it be a good idea to have an independent body to write an explanation so that those of us who are not lawyers can understand what is actually going on?