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76470

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Courts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many litigants in person have appeared before courts in England and Wales in each year since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Mr Elfyn Llwyd
	uin	204627
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>Details of self-representation in criminal and civil courts can only be obtained by manually checking every case file at disproportionate costs.</p><p> </p><p>The numbers for family cases showing self-representing applicants and respondents are published quarterly. Self-representation is determined by the field ‘legal representation' in the Ministry of Justice administrative database being left blank. Therefore, this is only a proxy measure and parties without a recorded representative are not necessarily self-representing litigants in person.</p><p> </p><p>Information for parties' representation is available for family courts at a national level from 2011. The data are in table 2.4 of Court Statistics Quarterly, available at this link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/court-statistics-quarterly" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/court-statistics-quarterly</a></p><p> </p><p>Litigants in person are not a new phenomenon in our courts. Judges are used to helping persons with no legal representation, including explaining procedures and what is expected of them. We have taken steps to help people who either want or have to represent themselves in court, including publishing a revised guide for separating parents and increased training for judges. The link to the guide is:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://hmctsformfinder.justice.gov.uk/HMCTS/GetLeaflet.do?court_leaflets_id=2756" target="_blank">http://hmctsformfinder.justice.gov.uk/HMCTS/GetLeaflet.do?court_leaflets_id=2756</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 14/07/2014 16:31:06 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
	tabling member	549 label Biography information for Mr Elfyn Llwyd

100231

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Courts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases (a) magistrates' courts and (b) the Crown courts received in each year since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Tooting
	tabling member printed	Sadiq Khan
	uin	211296
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>The number of proceedings held at magistrates’ court and at crown court in each year since 2010 are published on the Ministry of Justice website and can be viewed at the following link:-</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/358650/court-statistics-main-tables-april-june-2014.xls" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/358650/court-statistics-main-tables-april-june-2014.xls</a></p><p> </p><p>The number of cases received by the magistrates' courts can be found in table 3.1 and the number of cases received by the Crown Court can be found in table 3.3.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 18/11/2014 17:59:05 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
	tabling member	1577 label Biography information for Sadiq Khan

100233

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Courts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases dealt with by (a) magistrates' courts, (b) family proceedings courts, (c) county courts, (d) coroners' courts, (e) the Crown court, (f) high court, (g) the court of appeal or (h) the Supreme Court involved a party for whom there is no legal representations on the court record in each year since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Tooting
	tabling member printed	Sadiq Khan
	uin	211297
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>Parties with no legal representation are not a new phenomenon in our courts. Judges are used to helping persons with no legal representation, including explaining procedures and what is expected of them. We have taken steps to help people who either want or have to represent themselves in court, particularly in the family court. On 23 October we announced further support for separating parents and court users in civil and family courts.</p><p>The new support will include:</p><p>· Improving online information so that it is accurate, engaging and easy to find.</p><p>· A new strategy, funded by the Ministry of Justice, and agreed with the legal and advice sectors which will help to increase legal and practical support for litigants in person in the civil and family courts.</p><p>· A new <em>‘Supporting separating parents in dispute helpline’</em> pilot run by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) to test a more joined-up and tailored out-of-court service.</p><p>This package of support will help provide separating couples and court users with the information, advice and guidance they need to help settle disputes in the most appropriate and proportionate way.</p><p> </p><p>However, it has not been possible to answer the question within the timeframe as the information is being assembled from a variety of sources, but I will write to the Honourable Member as soon as it is available. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House Library.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bermondsey and Old Southwark answering member printed Simon Hughes question first answered 24/10/2014 13:40:26 answering member 194 label Biography information for Simon Hughes
	tabling member	1577 label Biography information for Sadiq Khan

147621

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Courts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to ensure that victims are made aware in a timely manner of court hearings relating to their case.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	213925
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Government’s new Victims’ Code sets out the support and information victims of crime can expect to receive from agencies at every stage of the criminal justice process. Priority victims – victims of the most serious crime, vulnerable or intimidated and persistently targeted victims – are entitled to receive enhanced support and services.</p><p> </p><p>The Victims’ Code outlines that victims are entitled to be informed of the date, time and location of the first court hearing by the police within 5 working days from when they receive this information and 1 working day for priority victims. If the case progresses to trial, the Witness Care Unit should notify victims of court hearings within 1 working day of receiving the information from the court.</p><p> </p><p>Criminal justice agencies have updated their guidance for operational staff, which outlines their duties under the new Victims’ Code. The Government has made a commitment to monitor criminal justice agencies’ compliance with the Victims’ Code and in “Our Commitment to Victims,” launched on 15 September 2014, we announced that criminal justice agencies will publish information on how they have improved services for victims from April 2015.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 20/11/2014 17:11:57 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

156050

	registered interest
	date	17/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Courts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2014 to Question 213724, how many individual courts will receive additional funding; and what proportion such courts will form of the total court estate.
	tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
	tabling member printed	Mr Andy Slaughter
	uin	214815
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The new package of support announced on 23 October is aimed at keeping disputes away from court, while those who end up in court will be provided with better support. The funding will be used to support a new strategic approach to increasing legal and practical support for litigants in person in the civil and family courts. This will provide direct support in some local courts, and other courts will be able to access national support via email or telephone. The service will begin in selected court centres with the aim of rolling it out across England and Wales.</p><p>This strategy has been developed in partnership with the legal and advice sectors and we are currently working with them on implementation. We hope to be in a position soon to make a decision on which courts will receive direct support as a result of the additional funding.</p> answering member constituency Bermondsey and Old Southwark answering member printed Simon Hughes question first answered 20/11/2014 17:55:33 answering member 194 label Biography information for Simon Hughes
	tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter

164478

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Courts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2014 to Question 214230, which courts he believes to be over 100 years old.
	tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
	tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
	uin	215767
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2014 answer text <p>Further to the answer the Minister for the Courts and Legal Aid gave the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South on 18 November 2014, information on the Department’s HMCTS properties is currently being validated. A list of Courts believed to be over 100 years old will be provided as soon as this work has been completed.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 28/11/2014 14:27:33 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

223674

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Courts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many courtrooms there are in (a) the High Court at the Royal Courts of Justice, (b) the County Court in Birmingham, (c) the Family Court in Birmingham and (d) the High Court in Birmingham.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Yardley
	tabling member printed	John Hemming
	uin	225310
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2015 answer text <p>The Royal Courts of Justice has 122 court rooms which are available for use by the High Court. The Birmingham Civil Justice Centre has 56 court rooms available for use by the High Court, family court and the county court. The use of a courtroom for any particular case will be a matter for listing and the judiciary.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 04/03/2015 16:47:45 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
	tabling member	1483 label Biography information for John Hemming

385983

	registered interest
	date	26/06/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Courts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the policy is of HM Courts and Tribunals Service on sending reminders by (a) text message and (b) email to defendants reminding them of the time and date of (i) court hearings and (ii) bail conditions.
	tabling member constituency	Preston
	tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
	uin	4420
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2015 answer text <p>Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is committed to ensuring all parties to court proceedings are notified of any future hearing dates and where relevant bail conditions.</p><p> </p><p>Our current practice is when parties are present in court the information is provided orally and in written form. When parties are not present in court, HMCTS will write informing parties of the new hearing date. Telephone contact is also used. Currently Criminal Courts do not use text or email as the primary means of passing information to parties.</p><p> </p><p>We are building a justice system which is simpler, swifter and more efficient. By using modern technology we can meet the needs of everyone who uses our services now and in the future. For the criminal courts this will mean moving away from archaic IT systems to digitally enabled working where information is exchanged digitally with defendants and other court parties.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 02/07/2015 13:46:15 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
	tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

418316

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Courts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what statistics his Department holds on usage of (a) magistrates and (b) civil courts; and if he will place such statistics in the Library.
	tabling member constituency	Neath
	tabling member printed	Christina Rees
	uin	9884
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2015 answer text <p>I have answered the Hon Member’s question about magistrates’ courts in PQ9762.</p><p>The average utilisation figures for civil courts in England and Wales are:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>2014-15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>England and Wales Civil Court average</p><p> </p></td><td><p>49%</p></td><td><p>70%</p></td><td><p>66%</p></td><td><p>54%</p></td><td><p>37%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>Our courts are under-used. The reform of the courts and tribunals service is an opportunity to create a modern, more user-focused and efficient service.</p><p> </p><p>I will place a copy of these statistics in the Library.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 18/09/2015 13:57:19 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
	tabling member	4525 label Biography information for Christina Rees

479239

	registered interest
	date	16/03/2016
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Courts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) effect on cost and (b) security implications for (i) court staff and (ii) witnesses of using alternative civic buildings for video links or court hearings.
	tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
	tabling member printed	Andy Slaughter
	uin	31318
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2016 answer text <p>All proposals to use alternative venues for video links or courts hearings will be assessed to make sure they are cost effective and secure for court staff, users and the judiciary. Security risk assessments will be carried out at all venues and appropriate measures will be put in place, including the deployment of designated Court Security Officers at the venue where appropriate.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 22/03/2016 15:28:34 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
	tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter