Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Deferred
Recognised difficulty in retrofitting old court buildings to meet accessibility standards.
Conclusion
We recognise the difficulty in retrofitting old court buildings to meet the required accessibility standards set out in Section 20 of the Equality Act
Government response summary AI-generated
The government's response, despite stating 'Accept in part,' detailed its AI Action Plan for Justice and various AI pilots, which is unrelated to the committee's conclusion regarding the difficulty of retrofitting old court buildings for accessibility.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
Accept in part. While HMCTS acknowledges that accessibility in the County Court remains a challenge, we are taking a comprehensive, organisation-wide approach to address it. An accessibility strategy is currently being developed, covering all aspects of the courts and tribunals services—including estates, property, digital systems, and reasonable adjustments. As a first step, we will prioritise courts that are currently inaccessible, supported by a detailed action plan to guide enhancements wherever feasible. We are also investing over £1 million in 2025/26 in lift replacement projects across the County Court estate, including at Brighton County Court, Milton Keynes County and Family Court, and Hastings County and Family Court.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗