Member

I add one caveat. It is complicated because delivering this legislation requires a substantial and carefully co-ordinated programme of work. It will require secondary legislation, which in all probability will include amendments to the Criminal Procedure Rules and the Family Procedure Rules, updates to judicial guidance and significant procedural and training changes across the police, the legal profession, local authorities, the CPS, HMCTS, Cafcass, Cafcass Cymru and the Prison Service. This body of work will take time, so officials gave me the date of 6 April 2027 for implementation, due to the scale of the task and the steps that will need to occur between laying the commencement statutory instrument and commencement. But I was concerned that that was too far away, so I have good news. I am very grateful to officials in the Ministry of Justice, who have made a huge effort, and, as a result, I am delighted to say that the implementation date has been brought forward and is planned for the end of December 2026.