Oral QuestionMinistry of Justice

What steps he is taking to help tackle court backlogs.

Tabled: 5 November 2025Answered: 11 November 2025

Asked by

Luke Murphy

LabourBasingstoke

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Justice

Answer from Hansard

The Minister for Courts and Legal Services (Sarah Sackman)

Behind the backlogs in our courts, and behind each and every one of those case statistics, there is a human story, and there is no doubt that the delays in our criminal courts are taking their toll on victims and all participants in the criminal justice system. However, we are gripping the situation by investing in a greater number of Crown court sitting days, making additional investment in criminal legal aid and commissioning the review from Sir Brian Leveson. What is required is a once-in-a-generation reform of our criminal justice system, and we will be providing our response to that review in due course.