Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
LabourMP for Finchley and Golders Green
“Open justice relies on court proceedings being transparent and accessible. This Government is committed to ensuring that appropriate court and tribunal information is available to the public, legal professionals, journalists, and researcher…”
“I am announcing today the conclusion of the review of the Legal Services Board (LSB) as a public body, led by independent lead reviewer Richard Lloyd.…”
“This Government inherited a criminal justice system in crisis, with record and rising Crown court backlogs. We simply cannot accept the intolerable delays currently faced by victims, witnesses and defendants alike. Sir Brian Leveson’s concl…”
“I associate myself with the remarks of those who have thanked the Chairs of the various Select Committees for securing this important debate, and I thank everybody who made incredibly thoughtful contributions to it, although there was the o…”
“I hereby give notice of the Ministry of Justice’s intention to seek an advance from the Contingencies Fund totalling £1.7m.…”
“The Courts and Tribunals Bill puts victims at its heart and aims to deliver faster, fairer justice for all victims. In addition, we are increasing transparency and support for victims in the criminal justice system, funding victim support t…”
“I thank my honourable Friend the Member for West Dunbartonshire (Douglas McAllister) for securing this debate. We have all been treated to a fine and thoughtful speech. He is without doubt a tireless advocate for his constituency—for Clydeb…”
“It is my pleasure to deliver the closing speech for this Second Reading of the Courts and Tribunals Bill. I thank right honourable and honourable Members for all their contributions. A consensus has broken out across this Chamber that the a…”
“I am pleased to announce the review of the Legal Services Board (LSB). It is best practice for departments to regularly review their public bodies to provide assurance to both Government and the public that these bodies are operating effect…”
“I am committed, as are this Government, to greater transparency in our justice system. I am also committed to putting the dignity of victims first. As Courts Minister, I have a concern that people should know what goes on in our courts. It …”
“This Government inherited a criminal justice system on the brink of collapse, with record and rising backlogs now touching 80,000, and behind each and every one of those cases is a real victim. That is why we asked Sir Brian Leveson to unde…”
“In my written statement to the House of 26 June 2025, I updated Members on the emergency operational changes put in place at the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) in response to the criminal cyber-attack on LAA systems. Our priority throughout has bee…”
“I beg to move an amendment, to leave out from “House” to end and insert: “believes that the Government inherited a justice system on the brink of collapse with a record and rising caseload created under 14 years of Conservative mismanagemen…”
“I would like to inform the House that this government intends to take action to mitigate the impact of the 2023 Supreme Court judgment in PACCAR and implement proportionate regulation of third-party litigation funding agreements (LFAs).…”
“Mediation saves people time, money and stress. It can also help to reduce court delays and save the taxpayer money. Mandatory mediation for small money claims is now well integrated into the county court process and is delivering real resul…”
“This Government inherited an emergency in our criminal courts. Record and rising caseloads are leaving victims and many accused who are seeking to clear their name facing agonising delays, while some defendants game the system in the hope t…”
“Today I am laying before Parliament the Government’s Response to the consultation ‘Criminal Legal Aid: proposals for solicitor fee scheme reform’.…”
“This Government inherited an emergency in our criminal courts, with record and rising caseloads, leaving the victims behind each and every one of those cases facing agonising delays and waiting to see justice done, while some defendants hop…”
“It is a pleasure to serve under you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to open this discussion on the clauses of a focused but important Bill, designed to drive innovation, enhance legal certainty, and strengthen our standing in the global digital …”
“Legal aid can be a lifeline and should be available to those who need it, wherever they happen to live. This Government have made substantial new investment in legal aid—both in criminal legal aid, with an additional £92 million a year, and…”
“I would like to inform the House that today we are launching a post-implementation review of the Whiplash Reform Programme.…”
“Shocking!…”
“For years, our court buildings under the last Government were left to crumble and decay. This Government have boosted capital funding from £120 million last year to over £148 million for this year. From Reading to Blackpool, we are building…”
“My noble friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede) has today made the following statement:…”
“I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. The Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill is a pivotal step in the evolution of our legal system—one that ensures that the law remains relevant and pre-eminent in the digital age. As we s…”
“Let me begin by congratulating the right honourable Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Liz Saville Roberts) —that was my best attempt at Welsh pronunciation; I hope I did not vandalise it—on securing this important debate on the reform of local…”
“This Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with record and rising backlogs in our criminal courts, leaving victims in limbo as they wait to see justice done. For that reason, the Lord Chancellor commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to …”
“People must be able to access legal aid, regardless of where in the country they live, and this Government have made substantial new investments. On the civil side, in housing and immigration, we have announced uplifts worth £20 million; in…”
“Today I am laying before Parliament the Government’s Response to the consultation ‘Civil Legal Aid: Towards A Sustainable Future’.…”
“In my statement to the House of 19 May 2025 on the cyber-security incident affecting the Legal Aid Agency (LAA)’s digital platforms, I said that I would provide a written update to the House in due course.…”
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