Government Response to the Committee's report on The Rule of Law

This is the government's response, published 23 February 2026.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government welcomes the Committee's report and expresses agreement with its conclusions in several areas, including judicial independence, legislative standards and the accessibility of legislation, while setting out existing and planned work in other areas.

• On judicial independence, the government "respectfully agrees with the Committee's conclusions" on politicians and the media criticising judges, and says the Lord Chancellor, his predecessor and the Attorney General "will continue" to speak out in defence of the judiciary.
• On legislation, the government agrees with the Committee's characterisation of rule of law compliant legislation. On the Law Commission's consolidation work it says that "wherever possible we will look to take it forward", subject to balancing other constraints, including parliamentary capacity.
• On judicial review, the government says it recognises its "vital role" but that the process must "continue to be fit for purpose". It cites changes for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and says it is working with the judiciary to consider further procedural change.
• On civil justice, the government says it "recognises the pressure on the advice sector", cites legal aid fee uplifts, and says the Ministry of Justice and HMCTS are "carefully considering" the Civil Justice Council's enforcement recommendations.

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