Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve the timeliness for young people on remand being informed of trial dates.

As part of the COVID recovery, the Judiciary has set the criteria for the prioritisation of hearings across all jurisdictions which includes Youth cases especially where delay might mean a relevant age-threshold was crossed.

If the court remands a young person in Youth Detention Accommodation following an appearance before the Youth Court and retains jurisdiction to hear the case, it will try to take a plea at the first hearing of the case. If that plea is not guilty, the court will endeavour to list for trial within 56 days. Youth cases are listed as a matter of priority, particularly those cases where a young person is remanded either into a custodial establishment or into the care of the local authority. As part of recovery planning, outstanding youth cases are monitored closely to ensure they are listed as expeditiously as possible.

Where a young person is sent to the Crown Court for trial, the Crown Court will, if possible, take a plea at the initial Plea and Trial Preparation Hearing (PTPH) and, if the plea is not guilty, the judge can fix the date of the trial at that hearing. Listing is a judicial decision. If the young person is remanded into Youth Detention Accommodation by the Crown Court, custody time limits will apply, and the court will prioritise the listing of the case for trial. Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is currently developing a review of the end to end management of youth cases which aims to identify opportunities for further improvement.