Oral Answers to Questions

Richard Foord Excerpts

Tuesday 16th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Richard Foord (Honiton and Sidmouth) (LD)]

15. What steps he is taking to reduce backlogs in the criminal justice system.

[Peter Lamb (Crawley) (Lab)]

17. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the length of time for cases to go to trial.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Lammy]

It is absolutely the case that where courts are coming together and being proactive, we are seeing progress. I look forward to looking more closely at the example of Maidstone and Woolwich. My hon. Friend is absolutely right that that is the way forward.

[Richard Foord]

Of 221 people arrested for supporting Palestine Action, 162 were arrested under section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000. This prohibits people from carrying articles in public which

“arouse reasonable suspicion that an individual is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation.”

Even the protesters who displayed those sickening pictures of Hamas paragliders in the week after 7 October were each given a conditional discharge. Will the Government please look again at the Terrorism Act to avoid clogging up the criminal justice system with people whose real motive is to support action on Palestine?

[Mr Lammy]

I am always happy to do anything—I did it in my last role and I will do it in this role—to ensure that anyone terrorising is convicted. That is quite properly a matter for law enforcement and prosecutors, but I will examine the detail of what the hon. Gentleman says.