Justice Committee chair urges transparency on jury trial impact
The Chair of the Justice Committee has called on the Government to provide clear evidence on how proposed reforms in the Courts and Tribunals Bill will affect the right to jury trial.
Commenting on the publication of the Bill on 25 February 2026, Labour MP Andy Slaughter said the legislation and the Lord Chancellor’s speech the previous day demonstrated that ministers were serious about tackling the Crown Court backlog through a combination of investment, efficiency and structural reform.
He welcomed the announcement of uncapped Crown Court sitting days and a multi-year funding agreement with the Lady Chief Justice, alongside further investment in court infrastructure. These measures, he said, came against the backdrop of a backlog that has left victims and defendants waiting years for cases to conclude.
Mr Slaughter also endorsed increased digitalisation across both civil and criminal justice. He noted that this would implement recommendations made in the Justice Committee’s recent County Court report, which described the civil justice system in England and Wales as “dysfunctional” and failing adequately to deliver civil justice.
The Committee chair referred to the independent review conducted by Sir Brian Leveson, which recommended a “whole-system approach” to criminal courts reform. That approach, he said, encompassed structural change as well as efficiency improvements. Measures such as improvements to listing practices, expanded use of artificial intelligence, “blitz” courts, increased video hearings and better organised prison transport were described as welcome objectives.
However, Mr Slaughter observed that proposals to divert some cases from jury trials to magistrates’ courts or judge-only hearings had attracted the greatest public and political attention. He characterised these changes as only a small part of the overall reform package but acknowledged that they had become the focal point of opposition.
He said publication of the Bill should enable the Government to explain precisely which types of cases, and how many, would no longer carry a right to jury trial. He added that evidence of how such measures would reduce the backlog should determine how any limitations on jury trial are framed.
The Justice Committee continues its scrutiny of court reform and the wider justice system as Parliament begins consideration of the legislation.