Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to tackle backlogs in the courts in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. For this financial year (25/26), this Government is funding a record allocation of Crown Court sitting days to deliver swifter justice for victims – 110,000 sitting days this year, 4,000 higher than the previous Government funded. However, the scale of the challenge is beyond what increasing sitting days can achieve. In civil justice, courts and tribunals are sitting at, or close to maximum judicial capacity in every jurisdiction.

That is why we have commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to conduct a review of the courts that will propose once-in-a-generation reform to deliver swifter justice for victims.

In the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency:

Criminal Courts: 

• St Albans Crown Court has seen an increase in Circuit Judges, and an increase in courtrooms from 6 to 7. The open caseload at this court was reduced by 3% in 2024.

• In the magistrates’ court, additional Legal Advisors are being recruited. The open caseload in Herts area was reduced by 14% in 2024.

Family and Civil Courts: 

• Our focus across Hertfordshire is to progress the family and civil cases in as timely a way as possible whilst balancing the individual circumstances and needs of each case. The Designated Family and Civil Judges, along with HMCTS, have implemented a robust case progression initiative. Cases are reviewed and cases that are suitable for the hearing date to be brought forward are prioritised. This is achieved by utilising courtroom capacity that becomes available from other cases resolving.