Speeches by Paul.

“That is before we even get to the cost of written reasoned verdicts. In clause 3 cases, the Bill requires judges to set out written reasons for conviction or acquittal. I have seen that particular innovation praised on the grounds of transparency, but surely if the Government’s argument is about saving court time, they…”

“Since the cap on judicial sitting days was lifted in October 2025, the backlog has reduced in key regions, including London, and fell materially in places such as Maidstone. The Bar Council and the Law Society both argue that there are further practical changes that can be implemented now without curtailing jury trials…”

“The Sentencing Act 2026 now allows custodial sentences of up to three years to be suspended, and introduced presumption to suspend short custodial sentences. Those are changes that may well affect plea behaviour, sentencing outcomes and, in due course, trial volumes. They are, however, not obviously incorporated into t…”

“Colleagues will also recall the circulated letter from leaders in the violence against women and girls space, which makes the same point from another direction. It states that juries”

““jury trials will always be a cornerstone of British justice.””

“Absolutely, Ms Jardine—we can go into the early hours of the morning if we need to, and I am happy to do so this evening if that is what people would like to do. In cases of offensive communications, malicious communications, harassment, stalking and other digital evidence-related cases, the line between criminality an…”

“The reforms come at a time when the magistrates courts are themselves under very visible strain. JUSTICE says that magistrates generally sit for only around 13 full days per year, that cases in the magistrates’ courts have become less complex in recent years, and that the system is not currently set up to absorb a grea…”

“I thank you for making that point, Ms Jardine. I just emphasise how serious the changes in this legislation are. I know the Opposition are willing to put in the hours that are needed to go through the full detail, so that everyone can say what they need to. I imagine the Government are equally keen to spend the hours r…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Jardine. As the Committee has likely anticipated, I will argue that clause 3 should not stand part of the Bill. Clause 3 is the heart of the Government’s constitutional gamble. It creates a wholly new general rule for trial on indictment without a jury in a substant…”

“The Bar Council says the proposal introduces an extra layer of hearings and complication. JUSTICE says that the allocation of cases will lengthen the PTPH, and that the process of reallocation will lengthen it further. If Ministers have accounted for that, they should show their workings. If they have not, the headline…”

“I want to speak briefly about women, specifically because it is easy for the Government to speak as though anyone opposing clause 3 is somehow indifferent to women’s experience of delay. That is not true, and the evidence does not support it. Section 28 is unavailable in the magistrates courts, and pushing more cases d…”

“Cassia Rowland’s analysis suggests the total impact of the Government’s proposals on court demand is likely to be around a 7% to 10% reduction in total courtroom time, with just 1.5% to 2.5% of that coming from the introduction of judge-only trials in the Crown court bench division. The IFG’s later report goes further,…”

“Something I have said before that bears repeating is that the case against clause 3 and indeed the Bill is not that backlogs are tolerable; it is that the real causes of delay lie elsewhere and should be addressed directly. Many of Leveson’s recommendations, including prison transport, case management, listing, sitting…”

“The Opposition support amendment 51. If the Government insist on retaining clause 4 and schedule 1, then there is a compelling case for removing the power of the Secretary of State to add further offences to the list by regulation. I am particularly concerned by that unconstrained power. If the Government have currentl…”

“The Government’s figures tell us that the package reduces Crown court sitting days by 27,000 and increases magistrates court sitting days by 8,500, but where exactly in that modelling is the court time for the new allocation architecture itself? Clause 3 requires judges to assess likely sentence, hear representations, …”

“The equality statement itself admits that it does not have access to full data on who elects jury trials, broken down by disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status, and that it cannot draw conclusions on potential differences in verdicts for individuals with protected characteristics for…”

“This Committee has seen written warnings that restricting jury trials could particularly damage confidence among women and minoritised groups, and that women survivors are frequently criminalised. It is therefore entirely possible for a measure to be sold in the name of helping women victims while, in fact, making part…”

“If we are increasing the sentence in the magistrates court, I would imagine the Minister will agree that, in some situations, we are increasing the complexity of the case. For example, a sexual assault case could be quite complicated and require, in order to look after the alleged victim and make sure their wellbeing i…”

“That is soaring language, but the core point could be made more plainly. Clause 3 reduces the direct participation of ordinary citizens in the administration of criminal justice. That is wrong and is corrosive to the standing and administration of that same justice.”

“Does my hon. Friend agree that Government Members and the Minister have spent a lot of time talking about victims being central to all of the changes, so why on earth would they not support the amendment if it is really about protecting victims from being cross-examined?”