Plans to revolutionise the courts to make them more
straightforward and efficient, and deliver swifter justice for
victims, will be outlined by the Justice Minister Sir QC today.
The Prisons and Courts Bill, which also contains a range of
measures to help boost the reform of our prisons, will be debated
by MPs in the House of Commons this week (week commencing 20
March 2017).
Measures in the ground-breaking Prisons and Courts Bill will mean
that more cases can be progressed securely online and through
video and telephone conferencing, eradicating the need for many
administrative hearings to take place in the traditional
courtroom setting and reducing the need for travel.
To ensure justice is also open and seen to be done, video booths
will be installed in courts across England and Wales to allow
members of the media and public to observe virtual hearings from
court buildings anywhere in the country. Lists and results of
cases that have taken place online, as well as those concluded in
a physical courtroom, will also be available digitally.
Justice Minister Sir QC said:
Britain has the best justice system in the world, but it should
also be the most modern. Victims and the most vulnerable are at
the centre of our changes, which will help deliver swifter and
more certain justice for all.
We want courts that are efficient and fit-for-purpose, with
facilities across the entire estate that are modern,
user-friendly, and work in favour of our hard-working and
dedicated judges and magistrates.
The Prisons and Courts Bill underpins this vision – building on
the good progress we have already made in improving the
experience of all users and cementing our reputation for global
legal excellence so victims get the justice they deserve as
quickly as possible.
The Prisons and Courts Bill proposes an extension to the use of
video links and virtual hearings which allow victims to take part
in cases without having to meet their alleged attacker
face-to-face.
Under our virtual hearings measures a further 60,000 pre-trial
hearings in the magistrates’ court and 17,000 contested bail
hearings can also take place by video, along with 30,000
pre-trial hearings in the crown court. This will save around
34,000 hours of courtroom time. Proposals to introduce online
convictions for some limited offences will also benefit the
courts. Potentially around 8,000 offences – including 7,000 cases
of people travelling without a train and tram ticket, and a
further 1,300 cases of people fishing without a licence – could
be handled online, taking away the need to be in a courtroom.
Bill measures will also mean around 420,000 summary and triable
either way offences can be progressed without the need for
administrative hearings to take place in a court. For example,
offenders will be able to enter a plea online reducing the need
to go to court until they need to attend trial or a hearing where
they can be sentenced.
Discussions between the court and legal representatives about
issues such as trial location will be able to take place via
email or telephone or video conferencing, instead of being in a
courtroom.
The government is also removing the requirement for indictable
only offences to have a ‘first appearance’ in the magistrates’
court, instead sending those cases straight to the crown court.
The Prisons and Courts Bill underpins our investment of over £1
billion for a modern justice system. The government is investing
over £850 million to modernise and digitise the courts, and
preserve the full majesty of the physical courtroom for cases
that require it, in addition to around £250 million to deliver a
fully connected criminal courtroom. This will result in savings
of £252 million a year for the taxpayer.
We will move from too many underused and badly maintained
buildings to fewer, better buildings with modern facilities. More
modern and robust technology will be put in place in courts, such
as Wi-Fi, modern telephony and screens for sharing evidence, to
make the lives of our excellent judiciary and legal professional
users easier.
The Prisons and Courts Bill also provides courts with the power
to put an end to domestic violence victims being cross-examined
by their alleged attackers in the family courts, calling time on
what the Justice Secretary has described as a “humiliating and
appalling” practice.
Car insurance premiums will also be cut by around £40 a year,
with new fixed tariffs capping whiplash compensation pay-outs and
a ban on claims without medical evidence, helping to crack down
on the compensation culture epidemic.
In addition, the legislation sets in law for the first time that
a key purpose is to reform offenders as they are punished for the
crimes they have committed.
Notes to editors
-
The Bill was
introduced on 23 February 2017. Follow its progress on the
Parliament website.
- Recent announcements:
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Impact assessments
