Oral Question·Ministry of Justice
“What steps his Department is taking to tackle the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation.”
Tabled: 10 December 2025Answered: 16 December 2025
Asked by
Sir John Whittingdale
Conservative — Maldon
Answering Minister
the Secretary of State for Justice
Answer from Hansard
The Minister for Courts and Legal Services (Sarah Sackman)
Strategic lawsuits against public participation, otherwise known as SLAPPs, are an abuse of the legal process and pose a threat to democracy. The Government recognise the profound financial and psychological impact of SLAPPs. That is why we commenced the SLAPPs provisions in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 related to economic crime SLAPPs, and we are monitoring how that is operating.