Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to help reduce the time taken for cases to go to trial in the commercial court.

I am pleased to say there are currently no undue delays in listing trials in the commercial court. However, we are constantly seeking improvements in timeliness.

Listing and case management in the Commercial Court are matters for the judiciary. HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) supports the court to progress cases efficiently by:

• Maintaining robust listing and case progression processes and working closely with the senior judiciary to identify and resolve operational pinch points.
• Proactively monitoring the courts waiting times and making use of available deputy judges to ensure cases are heard without delays.
• Maximising the effective use of hearing capacity, including through flexible deployment across the Royal Courts of Justice estate and the continued use of remote hearings where appropriate.
• Making use of digital systems to streamline filing, case administration and communication with court users.
• Recent operational measures to manage pressure on the court system, including the transfer of lower value and less complex claims from the London Circuit Commercial Court to the Central London County Court. The London Circuit Commercial Court is also looking to increase judicial capacity which will assist the Commercial Court and its workload.
• In July 2025 the Commercial Court also increased the level at which new cases could commence to £7 million.

We continue to monitor performance with HMCTS and the judiciary and will support further operational improvements to help ensure cases are heard in a timely manner.