Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2022 to Question 21142 on Crown Court: Hearing Impairment, if he will list Crown Courts in England and Wales (a) with (b) without an operational hearing loop.

These were the Crown Courts confirmed to have operational hearing loops by HM Courts & Tribunals Service’s (HMCTS) Facilities Management contract provider as of June 2022:

Birmingham Crown Court

Birmingham Crown Court Annex

Bolton Combined Court

Bournemouth Combined Court

Bradford Combined Court

Bristol Crown Court

Burnley Combined Court

Caernarfon Criminal Justice Centre

Cambridge Crown (PFI)

Cardiff Crown Court

Carlisle Combined Court

Central Criminal Court

Chester Crown Court

Coventry Combined Court

Croydon Combined

Derby Combined Court

Doncaster Crown Court

Durham Crown Court

Gloucester Crown Court

Great Grimsby Combined Court

Guildford Crown Court

Harrow Crown

Hove Trials Centre

Inner London Crown Court

Ipswich Crown (PFI)

Isle of Wight Combined Court

Isleworth Crown Court

Kingston on Thames Crown

Kingston Upon Hull Combined Court

Leeds Combined Court

Leicester Crown & County Court

Lewes Combined Court Centre

Lincoln Crown Court

Liverpool QE2 Crown Court

Luton Crown Court

Maidstone Combined Court Centre

Manchester Crown Court (Crown Square)

Manchester Crown Court (Minshull Street)

Mold Law Courts

Newcastle Moot Hall

Newcastle Upon Tyne Combined Court

Newport Crown Court

Northampton Combined Court

Norwich Combined Court Centre

Nottingham Crown & County Courts

Peterborough Combined Court Centre

Plymouth Combined Court

Portsmouth Combined Court

Preston Combined Court

Preston Crown Court (ADO)

Reading Crown Court

Sheffield Combined Court

Snaresbrook Crown Court

Southampton Combined Court

Southwark Crown Court

St Albans Crown Court

Stafford Combined Court

Stoke on Trent Combined Court

Swansea Crown Court

Swindon Combined Court

Taunton Combined Court

Teesside Combined Court

Truro Combined Court

Winchester Law Courts

Wolverhampton Combined Court

Wood Green Crown Court

Woolwich Crown

Worcester Combined Court

York Crown Court

These were the Crown Courts not confirmed to have operational hearing loops by HMCTS’ Facilities Management contract provider as of June 2022:

Aylesbury Crown Court

Basildon Combined Court

Canterbury Combined Court Centre

Chelmsford Crown Court

Exeter Combined Court

Guildford Magistrates Court and Family Court

Hereford Crown Court

Kings Lynn Crown Court and Magistrates Court

Lancaster Crown Court

Leamington Spa Magistrates' Court

Lincoln Magistrates Court

Loughborough Court

Merthyr Tydfil Combined Court Centre

Oxford Combined Court Centre

Reading Magistrates Court and Family Court

Salisbury Law Courts

Shrewsbury Justice Centre

Southend Combined - Crown, Magistrates, County and Family Courts

St Albans Magistrates Court

Loughborough Court was included twice in the number of Crown Courts that were not reported to have a hearing loop in the answer for PQ 21142, due to having an additional report for the ‘super courtroom’ launched in November 2021. It has only been included once in this answer as the ‘super courtroom’ is within the Loughborough Court building.

These lists relate to the permanent estate only, and do not include Nightingale Courts or other temporary Crown Court venues.

The Crown Court locations which were not reported to have hearing loops on site may still have facilities available or be able to make reasonable adjustments to help users who need hearing equipment. Some of the hearing loop equipment used by HMCTS is portable and can be moved between Crown Court sites if this is needed to help a user with a hearing disability. Users can contact the court involved to discuss what they need to help them attend court and access services and HMCTS will make reasonable adjustments. More information about available reasonable adjustments and arranging them is available at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service/about/equality-and-diversity.

HMCTS carries out service assurance checks to monitor the quality of its services at local, regional and national levels, which includes checks on accessibility for users with hearing disabilities. HMCTS routinely reviews its Service Assurance Framework so these checks make sure appropriate equipment and facilities are in place, and that any issues around the provision and maintenance of equipment is raised with the Facilities Management contract provider.