New Courts Bill combines reform and record funding to cut delays
The Government has introduced the Courts and Tribunals Bill to Parliament, setting out a programme of structural reform intended to reduce delays and accelerate criminal cases across England and Wales.
Announced on 25 February 2026 by the Ministry of Justice, HM Courts & Tribunals Service and justice minister Sarah Sackman, the Bill forms part of what ministers describe as a broader plan to modernise the justice system.
Official figures show that around 80,000 cases are currently awaiting resolution in the Crown Court. Nearly 20,000 have been outstanding for more than a year, including approximately 2,000 rape cases. The average time to complete a Crown Court case stands at 255 days, rising to 423 days in adult rape cases.
Ministers have published new projections, independently audited by Hartley McMaster, indicating that without structural reform or increased spending, the backlog could reach around 130,000 cases by 2030 and 200,000 by 2035.
The Bill would grant judges greater authority to determine where cases are heard. It proposes allowing technical and lengthy fraud trials to be conducted without a jury. It would also establish a new Bench Division in which cases carrying a likely sentence of three years or less would be heard by a judge alone. The Government estimates that such cases would take 20% less time than jury trials.
Jury trials would remain for the most serious offences, including rape, murder, aggravated burglary, blackmail, human trafficking, grievous bodily harm and the most serious drug offences.
Magistrates’ sentencing powers would increase to 18 months’ imprisonment, with provision for ministers to raise the maximum to two years if required. The automatic right of appeal from the magistrates’ court would be replaced with a filtered process designed to assess claims before they proceed.
The legislation also proposes new rules on the giving of evidence to address harmful myths in trials, and measures to simplify access to special arrangements for victims. It would repeal the presumption of parental involvement in the Children Act 1990, placing the child’s welfare at the forefront of decisions.
Tribunals would come under the unified leadership of the Lady Chief Justice, and magistrates’ expenses rules could be updated more easily to reflect modern working patterns.
David Lammy said the reforms combined record investment with modernisation and structural change. Earlier this week, the Government confirmed funding for unlimited Crown Court sitting days next year and £287 million for repairs and upgrades to the court estate.
Ministers argue that reform, alongside investment and efficiency measures, is necessary to stabilise the system and reduce delays over the coming decade.