This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Courts and Tribunals (Judiciary and Functions of Staff) Bill [HL] on 20 June 2018.
Courts and Tribunals (Judiciary and Functions of Staff) Bill (293 KB , PDF)
The Courts and Tribunals (Judiciary and Functions of Staff) Bill [HL] is a government bill which seeks to make reforms to the rules regarding the deployment of judges and to provide for the undertaking of some judicial functions by HM Courts and Tribunal Service staff. The Bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 23 May 2018 and is due to receive second reading on 20 June 2018.
The Bill contains three substantive clauses and one schedule:
These changes form part of an ongoing programme of reform of the courts and tribunal service in the UK. They are similar to some of the provisions previously included in the Prisons and Courts Bill. The Prisons and Courts Bill was introduced by the Government in the House of Commons during the 2016–17 session, however this Bill was dropped due to the calling of the 2017 general election.
The Courts and Tribunals (Judiciary and Functions of Staff) Bill [HL] has been criticised both in parliament and in the press for including only some of the legislative measures to reform the courts and tribunal service that were in the Prisons and Courts Bill. For example, the Bill does not include provisions regarding the increased use of online technology in the courts. The Government has stated that further legislation to reform the courts and tribunal service will follow, as soon as parliamentary time allowed.
Courts and Tribunals (Judiciary and Functions of Staff) Bill (293 KB , PDF)
The European Convention on Human Rights was signed by the members of the Council of Europe, including the UK, in Rome in 1950. The UK was one of the first states to ratify it in 1951 and it is now incorporated into UK law through the Human Rights Act 1998. The UK government has recently restated its unequivocal commitment to the convention.
The crown court backlog reached a record high of 73,105 cases in September 2024. The impact on victims, witnesses and defendants has been significant as they wait longer for their cases to be resolved. The government commissioned an independent review of criminal courts that will produce reform recommendations to address crown court pressures. Whilst stakeholders have welcomed the review, some have called for more immediate action to reduce the backlog.
Iranian authorities have detained British and dual nationals on various charges in recent years, including espionage. The exact number of those detained is not published because some choose to avoid publicity. UN human rights experts have referred to “systemic arbitrary detention” in Iran. The Labour government plans to support British nationals detained overseas by creating a special envoy for complex detention cases and ensuring a legal right to consular assistance.
