Lord Chancellor to give evidence on rule of law

Tomorrow the House of Lords Constitution Committee will be hearing evidence from The Rt Hon. Shabana Mahmood MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, as part of its inquiry into the rule of law 

This session will consider the role of the Government in upholding the rule of law and is likely to include discussion of current issues such as backlogs in the court service; the effective enforcement of crimes such as shop theft; legal aid; and the Government's proposed ECHR reforms. 

The sessions will take place on Wednesday 3 September 2025 and can be followed live on Parliament TV.   

Questions the committee is likely to ask include:     

• What practical action do you take to uphold your oath to protect the rule of law?  

• How does your role in upholding the rule of law relate to other Ministers, for example the Attorney General?  

• Does the average person on the street currently have effective and efficient access to justice?  

• What are the most significant threats to public trust in the rule of law?  

• How do you see your role in upholding the rule of law across the UK within the context of the range of devolved and reserved powers in this space? What practical steps are you taking? 

• What is the Government seeking to achieve with its proposed ECHR reforms?