Written questions by Vickers.

What guidance his Department provides to court staff on communicating with deaf jurors in the absence of an interpreter.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all jurors are able to participate effectively in the Criminal Justice System. Since new legislative provisions came into force in 2022, deaf jurors may be granted the assistance of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters in the jury deliberation room. If an interpreter is unavailable at any point, it is for the trial judge to decide whether to proceed or to adjourn until appropriate support is in place. Courts source interpreters through the Ministry of Justice’s contracted suppliers, with contingency arrangements (including booking pairs of BSL interpreters for deliberations) to manage fatigue and ensure quality. HMCTS guidance makes clear that reasonable adjustments must be put in place to enable jurors with disabilities to participate, and that interpreter support should be arranged promptly where required. Where an interpreter is temporarily unavailable, jury officers and the judge will consider appropriate interim steps, such as written communication, assistive listening technology, or a brief adjournment, so that the juror is not disadvantaged. Judicial guidance in the Equal Treatment Bench Book underlines that arrangements are judicially led in line with legislation.

What progress she has made in upgrading court buildings in the Tees Valley.

Historical underfunding has resulted in challenges across the court and tribunal estate. That is why this Government has announced a boost in court capital maintenance and project funding from £120 million last year, to £148.5 million for 2025/26. In 2025, HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has so far completed upgrades to the security systems, fire systems and lift alarm systems at Teesside Justice Centre, as well upgrades to the lift alarm system at Teesside Combined Court. HMCTS is planning to undertake a range of refurbishment works, such as redecoration, carpeting and furnishing at Darlington County Court, Darlington Magistrates’ Court, Teesside Justice Centre and Teesside Combined Court. HMCTS is also exploring the cost and feasibility of replacing the heating systems at Darlington Magistrates Court and is considering proposals to replace the windows and exterior cladding at Teesside Justice Centre.

What steps she is taking to help reduce the time taken for probate processing.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service have invested in more staff, alongside system and process improvements to reduce and then maintain lower processing times during the last year.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on probate timeliness here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/family-court-statistics-quarterly.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of community sentencing in reducing reoffending.

There is evidence that community orders and suspended sentence orders are more effective at reducing reoffending than sentences of immediate custody in certain circumstances.Robust analysis (using a matched comparison group to account for cohort differences such as drug use and unemployment), found that custodial sentences of less than 12 months were associated with higher reoffending rates (4 percentage points difference) compared to court orders (community or suspended sentence): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d1c732ee5274a08cdbe45c4/impact-short-custodial-sentences.pdf.The Department’s latest published reoffending data (July to September 2023) shows that the one year proven reoffending rate for those on a court order was 34% and 62% for those released from a determinant sentence of less than 12 months: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/proven-reoffending-statistics-july-and-september-2023.Ministry of Justice research findings indicate that individuals sentenced with a Community Sentence Treatment Requirement reoffend less often compared with those given a short custodial sentence. For example, Mental Health Treatment Requirements recipients had a lower reoffending rate than those on a short custodial sentence recipients by 9 percentage points.We welcome the Independent Sentencing Review’s emphasis on increasing the use of community sentences for lower-level offenders, ensuring that prisons are focused on locking up the most dangerous offenders.In the Sentencing Bill, we have introduced new powers to allow the courts to have greater flexibility than ever before to tailor punishments to offenders and ensure sentences served in the community are not a “soft option” but represent a genuine punishment by restricting offenders’ freedoms.These new powers will include banning offenders from driving, from attending pubs and bars, as well as public events such as sports and concerts. We are also introducing tough new restriction zones that will limit offenders to a specific geographical area.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of digital hearings on access to justice.

Remote hearings can, in appropriate cases, improve access to justice by reducing travel requirements, enabling more flexible scheduling and supporting vulnerable users through remote participation. The mode of hearing is a judicial decision ensuring the interests of justice are met. User experience and feedback continue to inform improvements to the remote hearing service.

What steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for family court proceedings.

Good progress is being made to reduce waiting times in the family court. In public law, average case duration was 33 weeks as at the end of May 2025, which is a four-week reduction since May 2024. In private law, the average case duration in was 38 weeks as at the end of May 2025, which is a reduction of just under four weeks since May 2024.The Family Justice Board has agreed system-wide targets for 2025/26, with a continued focus on tackling delay and reducing outstanding caseloads. In public law, this includes a system wide focus on the Public Law Outline; and in private law, areas delivering a wider rollout of the Pathfinder model which has made significant progress in addressing delays.

Whether she is taking steps to reduce the use of short custodial sentences for non-violent offences.

In line with the Independent Sentencing Review’s recommendation on reducing the use of short custodial sentences, the Sentencing Bill 2025 introduces a presumption to suspend short custodial sentences of 12 months or less, including for non-violent offences. We are not abolishing short sentences - judges will always have the power to send offenders to prison where they have breached a court order, where there is a significant risk of physical or psychological harm to a particular individual, or in exceptional circumstances. Evidence shows community orders and suspended sentences can be more effective at reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences. Around 60% of adults jailed for under a year reoffend within 12 months. Ministry of Justice matched cohort research shows offenders released from short prison sentences of less than 12 months reoffend at a higher rate (up to 4pp) than similar offenders given a community or suspended sentence. Limiting the use of short sentences will not only help offenders to leave the merry-go-round of re-offending but reduce crime, leading to fewer victims and safer communities.

What support is available to help ex-offenders reintegrate into communities in high deprivation areas.

Effective resettlement of prison leavers is crucial to reduce reoffending. This includes making sure someone has a home, family links where appropriate, access to healthcare, a job or education, and timely access to benefits where needed. Community probation practitioners coordinate each individual’s rehabilitation, taking an individualised approach to ensure all prison leavers are connected with the right local support. They work closely with pre-release teams and local services, including through prison-based and commissioned rehabilitative services, to enable effective reintegration back into the community. To support this, the Government is committed to ensuring robust pre-release plans are in place, identifying and putting support in place to address individuals’ needs before release. This support includes HMPPS’s Community Accommodation Service Tier 3, which provides up to 12 weeks of temporary housing for those at risk of homelessness on release, offering a stable base to support reintegration. Additionally, we’ve launched regional Employment Councils that bring together businesses, probation, and the Department for Work and Pensions to help prison leavers into work - a key factor in reducing reoffending by up to nine percentage points.

What steps she is taking to expand the availability of restorative justice schemes in England.

This Government supports the use of restorative justice in line with the evidence of its efficacy. We know that restorative justice can improve victim satisfaction and reduce reoffending when delivered in the right circumstances. This not only benefits the victims and the offender but also their community.This is why, under the Victims’ Code, victims must be told about the option of restorative justice and how to access it. Under a devolved model of commissioning, we also provide Police and Crime Commissioners with grant funding for victim support services, which can include restorative justice services. They are best placed to assess local need and commission services based on the needs of the population in the local area.

What support she is providing to legal aid providers in (a) rural and (b) semi-rural areas.

Citizens in England and Wales meeting the eligibility criteria should be able to access legal aid services regardless of where they live.The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for commissioning legal aid services, and it monitors the numbers of providers in each procurement area and across all categories of law. It takes operational action where it can, to respond to market pressures that may arise and works closely with the Ministry of Justice on policy solutions concerning the supply of legal aid.The Ministry of Justice has undertaken a comprehensive review of civil legal aid and recently published its response: Civil legal aid: Towards a sustainable future, consultation response - GOV.UK. We have confirmed that we are increasing fees for all housing & debt, and immigration & asylum legal aid work. This is a significant investment of £20 million a year– the first increase since 1996. In addition, the Department is looking at other potential changes that could support providers, for example, (civil) contractual requirements regarding provider offices and limits to the provision of remote legal aid that providers say are burdensome. Any changes would aim to give providers more autonomy in meeting client need, while maintaining effective in-person provision for clients who need this.As part of the £24 million increase for criminal solicitors implemented in 2024, the Ministry of Justice is paying for travel time for solicitors who work or commute to work in a small number of scheme areas with fewer than two legal aid providers.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of prison safety in Category (a) B and (b) C prisons.

Safety in prisons is a key priority, and we are working hard to make prisons as safe as possible for staff and prisoners.We have specialist staff and equipment to stop the smuggling of contraband in prisons, such as drugs, weapons and mobile phones, which can fuel violence and create instability.Prisons face a range of factors which impact on their safety, and these often vary between types of prisons, which is why it is important that all prisons have local safety strategies that address the local drivers of safety, whilst operating within the approach set out in the national Prison Safety Policy Framework.

What support is available to victims of domestic abuse on navigating the civil court system.

Victims of domestic abuse in both the civil and family court systems have the protection of special measures such as giving evidence via a video link or from behind a screen, and prohibition of direct cross examination of a victim by a perpetrator.The Government recognises that victims of domestic abuse may need help to understand their legal rights and navigate the courts systems in civil and family proceedings. Legal aid is available for private family matters, such as child arrangements, financial remedy proceedings and divorce if an individual is a victim of domestic abuse or at risk of being abused. Legal aid is also available for domestic abuse victims for certain urgent protection applications – for example, non-molestation orders and occupation orders.In addition, the Ministry of Justice is providing funding to support litigants in person, including domestic abuse victims, to help them navigate the civil justice system effectively, including preparation for court and support at court. In 2025/26, over £6 million of funding will be provided to 60 organisations to support the delivery of free legal support and information, both in-person and online. This includes some Citizens Advice and Law Centres, Rights of Women and AdviceNow, as well as organisations that specifically focus on supporting victims of domestic abuse.Support is also provided via a specialist service FLOWS (Finding Legal Options for Women Survivors), delivered by RCJ Advice, to support victims of domestic abuse to apply for protective orders in the family courts. The service can help all survivors, whether or not they are eligible for legal aid.

What discussions she has had with local authorities on co-locating justice and support services.

There have been no discussions with local authorities on co-locating justice and support services. However, this Government is committed to ensuring victims have access to support and information, and that this is delivered efficiently and effectively at a local level. We intend to commence provisions in the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, which introduces a statutory Duty to Collaborate on relevant authorities, including local authorities, local policing bodies and Integrated Care Boards, to work together when commissioning support services for victims.The Duty aims to ensure local commissioners gain a better understanding of the needs of victims in their area, create a more strategic approach to commissioning and remove barriers for those seeking to access support. We will be consulting on the guidance on the Duty to Collaborate in due course.

What recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of court backlogs in the North East.

For criminal courts, despite a brief fall at the end of 2024, the open caseload at the Crown court in the North East has steadily increased since 2022, with 10,678 open cases at the end of March 2025.For this financial year (25/26), this Government is funding a record allocation of Crown Court sitting days to deliver swifter justice for victims – 110,000 sitting days next year, 4,000 higher than the last Government funded.As a result of increased Government funding, the North East circuit will sit an extra 1,500 days in FY25/26, taking the total to around 15,000 days. The additional sitting time will be focused on reducing the time taken for a Crown Court trial to be heard.As of March 2025, the Magistrates’ Court criminal workload across the North East stands at 46,444 cases. This represents an increase of 6,206 (15%) compared to March 2024. As with the Crown Court, the Magistrates’ Court across the North East have seen receipts exceed disposals.For family courts, in public law the open caseload has reduced from 1,846 to 1,742 from May 2024 to May 2025, and in private law from 4,418 to 3,858 from May 2024 to May 2025. This means that we are delivering swifter justice and resolution for families and children.

What funding she is providing for youth justice services in areas of high need.

For 2025/26, this Government is providing c.£94 million in funding to Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) to support the operation and provision of youth justice services across England and Wales. This funding enables YOTs to provide interventions and support tailored to the needs of children in their local area. Despite the challenging fiscal environment this Government inherited, this is an increase on the previous year.In addition, c.£15 million has been allocated to the Turnaround Programme, which provides funding to all YOTs to intervene earlier and address the reasons that lead to children offending. Since the programme launched in 2022 this has enabled YOTs to reach up to 20,500 additional children not currently on their statutory caseloads.

What recent steps she has taken to increase staffing levels in the prison service.

We know that sufficient and skilled frontline staffing is fundamental to delivering safe, secure, and rehabilitative prisons. We remain committed to ensuring prisons are sufficiently resourced and that we retain and build levels of experience. The latest prison staffing numbers can be accessed in the HMPPS workforce quarterly publication: HM Prison and Probation Service workforce quarterly: June 2025 - GOV.UK.Substantive recruitment efforts will continue at all sites where vacancies exist or are projected, with targeted interventions applied to those prisons with the most need. We closely monitor staffing levels across the estate and look to provide short-term support where needed. Where prisons consider that their staffing levels will affect stability or regime, they can draw on support from other establishments in the short term, through processes managed centrally by HMPPS.On 22 May, the Government accepted all 13 of the recommendations put forward by the independent Prison Service Pay Review Body (PSPRB) for 2025/26. This year’s award represents an increase of at least 4% for all frontline prison staff, delivering another real-terms pay rise on top of the one provided last summer. This brings the starting salary for an entry-level officer (on the national rate, 39 hours with unsocial hours) from £34,494 to £35,875. The award was announced two months earlier than last year, recognising our commitment to accelerating the PSPRB timetable to deliver a timely pay award to staff.