Speeches by Paul.

“I am sure people saw me during evidence. I get really upset about the loss of any child’s life. We have to remember that we all want to keep children safe—[Interruption.]”

“No, I’m okay. I would gently say to the hon. Member for North West Leicestershire that I hope she has heard—and even seen—enough from me to know that I am here to protect children. Of course I am horrified by any loss of a child, but my point is that I am trying to step back, be objective and say, “What is the reason t…”

“I begin by echoing the comments made by my hon. Friend the Member for Bexhill and Battle. I completely understand why the Government have brought this clause forward. I welcome the debate. Similar to the hon. Member for Chichester, who spoke so eloquently, I was deeply moved by the evidence we heard from Claire Throsse…”

“That leads me naturally to my second point: the numbers do not support reform. Sir Brian Leveson noted that only about 0.4% of magistrates court decisions were appealed in 2024. The Bar Council quotes that figure directly, alongside the success rates of 41% and 44%, so we are dealing with a very small slice of the over…”

“Moreover, a court would be required to set out in its judgment how it has applied each part of the welfare checklist in determining the child’s best interests. Both Parents Matter says that approach would provide a clearer framework, improve transparency and support more structured, child-centred decision making. I am …”

“The same is true on sentence. Members may recall a piece of written evidence that we received from a witness describing how, after a magistrates court conviction for criminal damage said to have caused zero pounds-worth of damage, an immediate three-month custodial sentence was imposed. Her co-defendant appealed and th…”

“Five-hundred sitting days reclaimed is not nothing, but in the context of the overall criminal court crisis, it is modest at best. It is also far from obvious that those days would be saved, once one accounts for permission applications, arguments about grounds, challenges over transcripts, and the possibility that ret…”

“One thing I have increasingly noticed, particularly in high-profile cases, is that people live-tweet, setting out exactly what is going on. That is another thing to bear in mind. I very much welcome the progress that the Minister has set out, but in the world of social media it is important that people, and particularl…”

“I would appreciate some clarity from the Minister on the deviation from the recommendations of the Law Commission—again, just so that we are clear. To refresh her memory, the Law Commission, in its written evidence, states that “Clause 10 does not implement our recommendations in two key respects. (1) It does not imple…”

“I agree with my hon. Friend. Frankly, I am shocked that a Labour Government would do that. It is the last thing I expected of a Labour Government.”

“It is a pleasure to start the day with you and end the day with you, Ms Jardine. I am sure you are very much enjoying starting your day with me and ending your day with me, too. [Laughter.] I have just realised how that can be interpreted. My apologies, Ms Jardine; I cannot account for the minds of other Members. To ge…”

“Another concern is legal representation. The Law Society warns that the Bill’s proposals would increase the number of defendants in magistrates courts who are ineligible for legal aid, even though they would currently qualify if their case were heard in the Crown court.”

““there is still a lot of uncertainty attached to the potential benefits of the government’s proposed structural reforms. There is also a serious risk that they could backfire and cause further declines in both productivity and performance.””

“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?”

“It also points to youth courts, where magistrates have long dealt with cases carrying up to 24 months’ custody. But that support does not answer the central objection. The issue is not whether magistrates are dedicated, public spirited or capable of serious work. Of course they are, and many do excellent service. The i…”

“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 a rather devastating critique, because it does not come from some romantic defence of tradition—attractive though that may be—but stems from a cold look at the Government’s own numbers and the inescapable conclusion that the gains appear modest and come with substantial legal risks.”

““the most effective and straightforward way for magistrates’ courts to…assist in reducing the Crown Court backlog”.”

“It is only fair to acknowledge that the Magistrates’ Association takes a different view. It supports the extension of magistrates’ sentencing ranges, and says this is”

“JUSTICE and the Bar Council build on that point. JUSTICE notes that the Government’s model assumes cases within scope average 6.25 sitting days, while the Criminal Bar Association says that they are typically closer to three sitting days, meaning that the savings are likely overstated by around double. JUSTICE also say…”