Oral Answers to Questions

Rehman Chishti Excerpts

Tuesday 21st February 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mike Amesbury (Weaver Vale) (Lab)]

3. What recent estimate he has made of the size of the backlog of criminal court cases in Weaver Vale constituency.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

4. What steps the Government are taking to reduce the backlog in the criminal courts.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mike Freer)]

The outstanding case load at Chester Crown court at the end of September stood at 626. We are taking action across the criminal justice system to bring down backlogs and improve waiting times for those who use our courts. We have introduced new legislation to give more flexibility for cases to be returned to the magistrates courts, we have ramped up judicial capacity, and we are investing a significant amount of funding for the criminal justice system.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

It would also help to reopen the court in Chorley.

[Rehman Chishti]

In the context of addressing the backlog and engagement with the legal profession, when I spoke to leading criminal lawyers such as Sarah Forshaw KC, they raised with me a specific question: when will the Government appoint the chair of the Criminal Legal Aid Advisory Board? The board was set up in October 2022, nearly a year after the independent review conducted by Sir Christopher Bellamy. Is there to be another year’s wait before this appointment is made?

[Mike Freer]

The appointment of the chair following the independent review is currently being considered by the Secretary of State and an announcement will be made in due course. The board has met and continues to do its work. It is working effectively while we decide on the best form of chairing the meetings.