Written questions by Paffey.

What steps he is taking to reduce court delays in relation to hearings for possession orders for anti-social behaviour.

The Ministry of Justice does not currently collect or publish data broken down by the specific grounds used in possession claims, such as anti-social behaviour.The Civil Procedure Rules stipulate that possession claims should be listed within 4 to 8 weeks. The most recent published statistics, covering the period April to June 2025 show that the median time from claim to order is 7.9 weeks, consistent with the same period in 2024. The timeliness of subsequent enforcement of an order, where this is required, can be influenced by the actions of users as well as the court. Less than 25% of possession claims require progression to enforcement.The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 which has recently received Royal Assent, will shorten the notice period for the existing mandatory anti-social behaviour eviction ground. As soon as landlords have served their notice for eviction to the tenant for anti-social behaviour using this ground, they can begin possession proceedings through the court immediately.The Ministry of Justice publishes quarterly data on possession claims at: Mortgage and landlord possession statistics: April to June 2025 - GOV.UK.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that there is adequate (a) funding and (b) support for (i) forensic investigation teams and (ii) coroner services to help minimise delays.

It is important that the death investigation process is as swift and efficient as possible to avoid additional distress for bereaved families at such a difficult time in their lives.Whilst the Ministry of Justice is responsible for coroner law and policy,...

What her planned timeline is for the implementation of steps to transition toward restorative justice is; and what the key milestones toward this will be.

Restorative justice can, when delivered in the right circumstances, improve victim satisfaction and reduce reoffending. This not only benefits the victims and the offender but also their community.That is why, under the Code of Practice for Victims of Cri...

When she plans to publish an action plan for imprisonment for public protection sentences.

I am pleased to announce that on 15 November, the Lord Chancellor laid the first IPP Annual Report and a newly updated IPP Action Plan before Parliament. The Report and Plan can be accessed using the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati...

Whether she plans to review the eligibility criteria for legal aid.

This Government fully recognises that access to legal aid is central to helping those individuals who are unable to afford legal services to resolve their legal issues – provided it is in scope and meets the merits test. We are giving careful consideratio...