To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure barrister strikes do not delay the administration of justice.
Answered on
5 July 2022
It remains our priority to ensure that justice is served, and we will continue to encourage the Criminal Bar Association to work with us – the decrease in the Crown Court backlog shows what is possible when we work together.
It is disappointing that the Criminal Bar Association are progressing this type of action, considering less than 50% of CBA members voted in support of the option likely to cause the most disruption.
On 30 June, Minister Cartlidge announced our commitment to laying a statutory instrument necessary to effect the fee increases by 21 July, alongside an interim government response to the consultation on the Independent Review.
We are acting to mitigate the impact of the CBA strikes on a daily basis. This includes Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service working closely with the judiciary to ensure that cases are listed in a way which minimises disruption.
We continue to support the independent judiciary in their efforts to minimise disruption felt as a result of CBA action. Ministers continue to engage regularly with the Senior Presiding Judge to understand the impact in the courts.
The Public Defender Service is providing advocacy support, where possible, to cases that have been impacted by the CBA action. The Legal Aid Agency has also established a Crown Court Representation Helpline to make the process of identifying higher court advocates easier for providers who may be impacted by barristers declining to accept returns.