Offences against Children: Criminal Proceedings

(asked on 3rd June 2025) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make it her policy for courts to prioritise cases involving grooming.


Answered by
Sarah Sackman Portrait
Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
This question was answered on 11th June 2025

The listing of cases is a judicial function, and as such, prioritisation and scheduling decisions are the responsibility of judges. In practice, the judiciary generally lists cases to give priority to those with vulnerable parties and witnesses.

The Government continues work to deliver meaningful change for victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation. I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls to Parliament on 8 April 2025, which provided an update on the Government's work to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation. The statement can be found here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025-04-08/debates/4FDDC9A4-1AC6-4F34-8E6B-3DF6CC2C981A/TacklingChildSexualAbuse?highlight=tackling#contribution-A9A86425-75DF-4AD4-815E-46755043F5C2.

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