Jury trials are not the problem, chronic underinvestment is – Plaid Cymru

‘Undermining one of the basic tenets of English and Welsh law won’t solve the problems in our courts’, says Liz Saville Roberts MP

Plaid Cymru Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts MP, today (Tuesday 2 December) raised concerns with the Justice Secretary, David Lammy MP, regarding his plans to overhaul the courts system, including scaling back defendants’ rights to jury trials.

Ms Saville Roberts listed the “root causes” why magistrates’ courts and crown courts are processing fewer cases. This included high workloads, staff shortages and crumbling buildings.

The Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP used the Caernarfon Justice Centre in her constituency to illustrate how structural issues in the building are affecting day to day work.

Ms Saville Roberts asked the Justice Secretary whether he thought that undermining of “one of the basic tenets of English and Welsh law” is going to solve the problems facing courts across Wales.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Liz Saville Roberts MP said:

“Caernarfon Justice Centre is only 16 years old but the roof leaks when it’s raining, and the heating doesn’t work. 

“So, I’ll list the root causes why magistrates’ courts and crown courts are processing fewer cases. High workloads, staff shortages and inexperience, poor administration, crumbling buildings.

“How does he undermining of one of the basic tenets of English and Welsh law is going to be a solution to all those problems?”

In his response, the Justice Secretary said:

“Can I refer her to paragraph 9 of Sir Brian’s review where it says ‘it is important to underline that greater financial investment on its own, without systemic reform, cannot solve the crisis.’

“We are investing, it will take time, it is not fair to ask victims to wait.”

Speaking after the session, Liz Saville Roberts MP added:

“Juries are not the problem – chronic underinvestment is.

“Victims will continue to see justice delayed unless the UK government gets the basics right after years of deliberate underfunding. Rotten buildings and overloaded staff are a fundamental barrier to the provision of justice.

“Even in watered-down form, any attempt to restrict jury trials sets a dangerous precedent.”