Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of additional County Court sitting hours to deal with Section 8 possession claims following the commencement of the Renters Rights Act.

The Ministry of Justice (including its executive agency His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service) has worked closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that the courts have sufficient capacity to manage the impact of the Renter’s Rights Act 2025 including the increase in Section 8 claims following its commencement.

This year, over 80,000 sitting days were committed to the civil jurisdiction. This is a significant increase and recognises the importance of the civil jurisdiction.