The Sixth Report of the House of Commons Justice Committee of Session 2019-21 published last month (https://bit.ly/346gmjo) provides an honest and balanced appraisal of the courts’ performance during the pandemic, with constructive comment on how to address the backlog of unheard cases. It also raises important questions as to the permanence of the emergency changes and the future of the existing reform programme.
Recommendations by the Justice Committee
HMCTS, the Judiciary and the court staff have been commended for maintaining significant levels of service and delivering successful and rapid changes. This approach will be needed in the longer term to implement the proposed recovery plan. Work is required to identify the impact of increased use of digital technology on case outcomes, the perception of fairness, and any barriers to access to justice. Changes introduced during the pandemic that have impeded access to justice should
