Judicial Capacity Shortages
Insufficient numbers of judges and staff leading to significant capacity issues and constraints within the court system.
Source spread
Where this theme appears
This theme appears across 8 independent accountability sources, so the source mix matters as much as the headline total.
6 inquiry recs
5 PFD reports
151 committee recs
1 NAO rec
34 IMB recs
1 IMB report
2 PHSO decisions
14 LGO/SPSO decisions
Browse by source
Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.
Inquiry recommendations(6)
R89 — Review of prosecution system timeliness
Recommendation: The Department of Justice should review the timeliness of the handling of each aspect of the prosecution system that has led to the delay in bringing those accused of causing harm to patients to trial.
Response Pending
F285 — Appointment of assistant deputy coroners
Recommendation: The Chief Coroner should issue guidance on how to avoid the appearance of bias when assistant deputy coroners are associated with a party in a case.
Gov response: The government published "Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) on 19 November 2013, responding to all 290 recommendations of the Francis Report. This followed an initial response "Patients First and Foremost" …
Accepted
F284 — Appointment of assistant deputy coroners
Recommendation: The Lord Chancellor should issue guidance as to the criteria to be adopted in the appointment of assistant deputy coroners.
Gov response: The government published "Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) on 19 November 2013, responding to all 290 recommendations of the Francis Report. This followed an initial response "Patients First and Foremost" …
Accepted
JB-15.22 — Training for officers presenting firearms court applications
Recommendation: There should be training of those who are authorised by reason of rank to present such applications at court, and no-one should act as a substitute for a properly authorised person unless they have been appropriately trained. In any event, …
Gov response: College of Policing updated APP-AP in August 2023. Training implementation ongoing.
Accepted
JB-15.21 — Amend Criminal Procedure Rules for firearms court applications
Recommendation: There should be an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Rules which govern the process in applications for a firearms presence in court – a requirement for witness statements, sworn evidence and the taping of proceedings should all be included.
Gov response: Directed to Criminal Procedure Rule Committee. Implementation status unclear.
Response Unclear
IR2-7 — No Exemplary Damages but Court Access Preserved
Recommendation: I recommend that there should be no award for exemplary damages, though it should remain open to a claimant to pursue such a claim in the courts irrespective of whether they make a claim on the scheme.
Gov response: There is no award for exemplary damages, as recommended by the Second Interim Report in recommendation 7.
Accepted
Prevention of Future Deaths reports(5)
Christopher Hutton
Concerns: Significant backlogs and high demand within Probation services meant a critical court-ordered treatment program for the deceased was not commenced, despite his anxiety to complete it.
Response (HM Prison and Probation Services): To address the increased demand for sex offender treatment programs, the North West Division is increasing staff from 23 to 35 facilitators and training them, with the first 11 in …
Responded
Zahra Mohamed
Concerns: Significant 2-week delays in obtaining and executing Mental Health Act warrants persist due to court and police scheduling issues, increasing the risk of harm to vulnerable patients.
Response (Metropolitan Police Service): The MPS corporate process for s.135 warrants is being reviewed, and the PFD report's matters and learning will be incorporated into this review.
Response (HM Courts and Tribunals Service): HMCTS has reiterated the arrangements for applications to be made to magistrates’ courts in London whether routine, urgent or out of hours. They also arranged a meeting with NHS professionals …
Responded
Ronald Bainborough
Concerns: Protracted 20-day timescales for obtaining and executing Mental Health Act warrants, due to limited court availability and police delays, expose individuals to significant harm before assessment.
Response (Metropolitan Police Service): The MPS is reviewing its corporate process for s.135 warrants and will incorporate the matters raised in the PFD report and learning identified into this review.
Response (HM Courts and Tribunals Service): HMCTS has reiterated arrangements for applications to magistrates’ courts in London and held a meeting with NHS colleagues to explore concerns, committing to continued communication and partnership working.
Responded
Frank Ospina
Concerns: Mismatched healthcare and Home Office interpretations of Rule 35 led to a failure in reporting suicidal intentions, and an inappropriate "closed" visit denied a detainee physical contact and private conversation with family.
Response (NHS England): NHS England plans to revise Detention Services Order 09/2016, Rule 35 assessments towards a multidisciplinary approach to safeguarding and vulnerability management in Immigration Removal Centres, and will jointly develop a …
Response (Home Office): The Home Office is developing an interim update to its Rule 35 guidance, strengthening monitoring in detention, and implementing a 'Prevention of future deaths in immigration detention strategy'. Progress will …
Response (Mitie Care and Custody Limited): Mitie Care and Custody has implemented a revised Standard Operating Procedure to prevent "closed visits" and has introduced a website translation and accessibility service called 'Recite' across its immigration removal …
Responded
Paul Appleby
Concerns: The absence of a regular Saturday Court Service by the Liaison and Diversion Team, relying solely on an 'On Call' system, raises concerns about potential future deaths.
Response (Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust): The Trust has reissued the SOP to those operating Saturday courts to remind them how to make referrals to their services. The email requesting an assessment had an incorrect name …
Responded
Select committee recommendations(151)— showing 50 strongest matches
#45 —
Recommendation: It is plausible that judge only trials will prove to be more efficient than jury trials, as the evidence shows they are in Canada. However, to ensure that their operation enhances the overall efficiency of the criminal courts, their introduction …
Response Pending
#43 —
Recommendation: The government must work with the judiciary to produce an estimate of the amount of judicial time that will be needed to produce judgments in all judge only trials in the Crown Court each year. (Recommendation, Paragraph 152)
Response Pending
#42 —
Recommendation: Reasoned judgments in the Crown Court will help to make criminal courts more transparent. We accept that in some cases the requirement will not be unduly onerous, but there are likely to be cases where the need to provide a …
Response Pending
#26 —
Recommendation: The evidence submitted to the Committee indicates that the allocation process in the Crown Court could consume a significant amount of court time and judicial resource. Given that the aim of the bill is to save time in the Crown …
Response Pending
#10 —
Recommendation: The government must put forward a plan to significantly increase the number of salaried district judges in the magistrates’ court. The Government must also ensure that the pay of legal advisers is matched with comparable legal roles in the public …
Response Pending
#9 —
Recommendation: We are not convinced that the capacity of the magistrates’ court can be expanded sufficiently to deal with the potential increases in workload that could result from the changes in the bill. It seems unrealistic to propose that 7,000 magistrates …
Response Pending
#7 —
Recommendation: We can see why the ability to vary magistrates’ sentencing powers according to capacity pressures might be attractive to the government. However, frequent changes to those powers are unlikely to assist magistrates in making consistent and effective allocation decisions. Further, …
Response Pending
#1 —
Recommendation: Sir Brian Leveson was commissioned by the government to undertake his Independent Review of the Criminal Courts in response to the deepening crisis in the Crown Court. The open caseload has reached a record high of over 80,000 outstanding cases …
Response Pending
#30 —
Recommendation: The prison population fell during the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of the cancellation of jury trials and fewer cases coming through from the courts.67 In March 2020, almost half of all courts were closed and jury trials were paused …
Gov response: 4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: April 2021 4.2 The department will publish prison population projections by the end of 2020 and, following this, will be in a position to …
Not Addressed
#31 — Increased asylum refusals place acute pressure on immigration and asylum tribunal system.
Recommendation: People who are refused asylum by the Home Office can appeal the decision in the immigration and asylum tribunal, administered by HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS). The increased number of refusals brought about by more decisions being made is …
Under Consideration
#29 — Missed opportunity to fund maximum court sitting days exacerbated backlog
Recommendation: In evidence to the Justice Committee in November 2024, the Lady Chief Justice described how the concordat agreement with MoJ for 2024–25, agreed under the previous administration, had provided for 106,000 sitting days. She reported that in August HMCTS had …
Gov response: 1.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented: March 2025 1.2 The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is committed to bearing down on the Crown Court backlog and is delivering a wide range of …
Accepted
#26 — Ministry of Justice received substantial funding to tackle Crown Court backlog and expand capacity.
Recommendation: In the 2021 Spending Review, MoJ received an additional £477 million to support recovery across the criminal justice system, including to help reduce the Crown Court backlog which then stood at around 60,000. MoJ also secured an additional £644 million …
Gov response: 6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented: April 2025 6.2 In response to this recommendation, the Ministry of Justice has written to the Committee alongside this Treasury Minute response.
Not Addressed
#9 — MoJ's ambition to reduce the Crown Court backlog is contingent on the Leveson Review.
Recommendation: When asked about its current ambition for the level of open Crown Court cases, MoJ said that the crucial factor in achieving a reduction in the backlog is the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts (the Leveson Review), which MoJ …
Gov response: 1.5 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: July 2025 1.6 Without pre-empting its report, work is already underway to ensure swift response to and implementation of recommendations from the Independent Review …
Not Addressed
#8 — Ministry of Justice introduced various measures to address the Crown Court backlog.
Recommendation: MoJ has previously introduced measures to address the backlog, including those within the 2021 Criminal Justice Action Plan.17 MoJ described current work to manage the Crown Court caseload, including: • Increasing the number of sitting days to 108,500 this year. …
Gov response: 1.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented: March 2025 1.2 The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is committed to bearing down on the Crown Court backlog and is delivering a wide range of …
Accepted
#4 — Urgently reduce remand numbers to 2019 levels and publish granular remand population data.
Recommendation: The remand population is at its highest number for 50 years, and the length of time some defendants on remand wait for their cases to be heard is disrupting their lives and their families’ lives, and adding to prison overcrowding. …
Gov response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. population. While the listing of cases is a matter for the independent judiciary, custody time limits mean that there is a statutory obligation to prioritise the hearing of …
Accepted
#3 — Improve data-driven forecasting of Crown Court cases to adapt court system processes.
Recommendation: For some time now, MoJ has been failing to adequately forecast increases in the number and mix of cases being sent to the Crown Court, reducing its ability to plan how the courts system may need to adapt to meet …
Gov response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. understood about the system. They are used to aid policy development, capacity planning and resource allocation within MoJ, HMCTS and His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). MoJ …
Accepted
#22 — Overall capacity requirements for the family justice system caseload remain undefined.
Recommendation: The capacity required to manage the caseload efficiently on a timely basis, both at a national level, and in each part of the country, has not been set out.46 MoJ argued that there is more than enough capacity in the …
No Published Response
#21 — Case complexity, administrative landscape, and staff shortages contribute to London court delays.
Recommendation: MoJ and HMCTS told us that cases can take longer in London partly because there are more complicated cases, often with international dimensions. There is also a complicated administrative landscape with 33 different local authorities all doing things differently.44 HMCTS …
No Published Response
#16 — Public law cases suffer delays from cancelled hearings and excessive hearing numbers.
Recommendation: In public law, 32% of cases had at least one hearing cancelled on the day, which contributes to delays.27 HMCTS told us that the main reason cases are cancelled or adjourned, in over 25% of cases, is non-compliance with what …
No Published Response
#4 — Clarify required family court capacity and plans to resolve judge and social worker shortages.
Recommendation: Shortages in the number of district judges and social workers are contributing to delays, and to significant regional differences in timeliness of resolving cases. There are wide variations in durations of cases; for example, in December 2024, the average duration …
Gov response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented The Ministry of Justice, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, the Department for Education, Cafcass and Cafcass Cymru are working together to assess and address capacity and …
Accepted
#18 — Concerns about judicial independence and potential investigatory hierarchy within the Legacy Commission.
Recommendation: The Government’s plans for an enhanced inquisitorial mechanism through the Legacy Commission are seen by some as an improvement on the system introduced by the 2023 Act. We heard there are concerns, however, that they could lead to a hierarchy …
Gov response: All investigations and inquisitorial proceedings undertaken by the Commission are required to examine all the circumstances of the death or serious harm to which the referral relates. Similarly, all investigations and inquisitorial proceedings undertaken by …
Not Addressed
#13 — Civil judiciary no longer an attractive profession, hindering recruitment of high-performing candidates.
Recommendation: While we welcome the recent introduction of location-based advertising for full-time judicial roles, the civil judiciary is no longer an attractive profession. It is vital more is done to attract high performing candidates to the district-bench. (Conclusion, Paragraph 64)
Gov response: Accept in part. HMCTS utilises a range of information on the condition of the estate, and this informs a prioritised pipeline of future works across the estate which is kept under regular review. However, HMCTS …
Partially Accepted
#178 — Significant backlog in adjudication process undermines prison discipline and progression model
Recommendation: The significant backlog in the adjudication process, acknowledged by the Prisons Minister, undermines discipline in prisons. While current policy allows governors to balance punishment with support, we received evidence which shows this is not happening consistently. Some prisoners face no …
Gov response: We recognise the evolving threat posed by drone technology and agree that maintaining security measures ahead of criminal innovation is essential to protecting the prison estate and public safety. HMPPS works hard to deter, detect …
Partially Accepted
#25 — Remand prisoners face lengthy custody with limited options due to court backlogs
Recommendation: It is right that the remand population should not be mandated to participate in the regime, as they have not been found guilty. However, due to the length of time remand prisoners are in custody for due to the court …
Gov response: 122. As with recommendation 24, we are committed to ensuring that people in prison have access to an equivalent standard, range and quality of health care in prisons to that available in the wider community. …
Accepted
#3 —
Recommendation: The Government has told us that the most appropriate forums for prosecuting individuals are the jurisdictions where the crimes were committed. Given the concerns with regard to fair trial rights, capacity, and resources, we must not rely on other countries …
Gov response: 5. Agree. The UK Government supports accountability in appropriate jurisdiction in our national laws and upholding our international obligations under the Geneva Conventions. This includes UK court jurisdiction under the International Criminal Court Act (ICCA) …
Accepted
#28 —
Recommendation: Sir Brian Leveson originally proposed the three-year threshold alongside his recommendation for magistrates’ sentencing powers to be fixed at 12 months. If the maximum is increased to 24 months, cases of up to two and a half years could be …
Response Pending
#11 —
Recommendation: The Ministry of Justice and HMCTS must publish quarterly statistics on magistrate recruitment, aligned with reporting to the Justice Performance Board. (Recommendation, Paragraph 44) Appeals from the magistrates’ court
Response Pending
#21 —
Recommendation: There is also no systematic approach for capturing learning from upheld appeals, which could otherwise help reduce avoidable demand and unnecessary pressure on the appeals system.49 These issues have been intensified by pressures on the legal aid system, which the …
Response Pending
#20 —
Recommendation: Planning across the asylum system has had to respond to shifting pressures at different stages of the process, and departments’ ability to model demand and plan ahead has been limited by the absence of shared data and a single, end-to-end …
Response Pending
#8 —
Recommendation: The Department’s plan to reduce the Crown Court backlog to 53,000 cases relies on increasing the number of sitting days from 100,000 in 2021–22 to 105,000 in 2022–23, then 106,500 in both 2023–24 and 2024–25.10 HMCTS told us that it …
Gov response: 3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: March 2024 (end of the spending review period) 3.2 Since 2017, the pool of fee paid judges in the courts has increased by 12% …
Not Addressed
#3 —
Recommendation: We are not convinced that the Department can recruit enough judges to deliver on its ambition to reduce the Crown Court backlog. Reducing the backlog to 53,000 by March 2025 relies on increasing the number of days that the Crown …
Gov response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: March 2024 (end of the spending review period) 3.2 Since 2017, the pool of fee paid judges in the courts has increased by 12% and …
Partially Accepted
#9 — HMRC completed significantly fewer tax-related prosecutions during the pandemic years.
Recommendation: Over the two pandemic years, HMRC completed around 1,000 fewer prosecutions for tax-related offences than before the pandemic. In 2020–21 and 2021–22, it concluded just 163 and 236 prosecutions respectively, compared with around 700 a year in the two years …
Gov response: 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation Target implementation date: June 2024 2.2 Tax crime prosecutions are expected to increase in future years with a focus on the highest-harm and most serious cases of …
Accepted
#25 — Home Office makes little progress on VAWG prevention, straining criminal justice system capacity.
Recommendation: The NAO found that, to date, the Home Office has made little progress developing measures to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG).58 The Home Office told us that it expects that reported rates of VAWG will increase initially due …
Gov response: 6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: September 2025 6.2 The new VAWG Strategy will place prevention at the very heart of the government’s approach to halving VAWG in a decade. …
Not Addressed
#8 — Mean family law case durations remain high with significant regional variations.
Recommendation: In 2024, the mean durations of public law and private law cases were 36 and 41 weeks respectively, significantly higher than the 27 weeks and 26 weeks on average in 2018.10 MoJ and HMCTS told us that the average duration …
No Published Response
#7 — Family justice backlog remains large despite recent decrease from 2021 peak.
Recommendation: Family justice faced rising demand before the COVID-19 pandemic, with public law receipts peaking in 2017 at 19,389, while private law receipts peaked in 2020 at 55,711. The backlog of cases increased by 2021 and cases were taking longer to …
No Published Response
#17 — Produce a detailed long-term plan to increase judicial capacity in the Crown Court.
Recommendation: We share the view of the judiciary and the MoJ that judicial capacity is, at present, the most pressing constraint in the courts system. We welcome the Government’s plans to recruit more judges. The Government should learn the lesson from …
Gov response: Increasing magistrates’ court sentencing powers will deliver swifter access to justice and further assist court recovery. The policy aims to improve efficiency in the criminal courts, reduce the backlog in the Crown Court and speed …
Under Consideration
#43 — Launch urgent, comprehensive, root-and-branch review of the County Court by Spring 2026
Recommendation: We recommend an urgent and comprehensive, root-and-branch review of the County Court. This review must be launched by Spring 2026 and encompass recruitment and retention challenges within both the Judiciary and HMCTS, establish a realistic and sustainable plan for future …
Gov response: Not accepted. The work of the Justice Committee through its Work of the County Court Inquiry has been meticulous and thorough. The Inquiry itself has provided a solid foundation and highlighted the areas of the …
Not Accepted
#41 — County Court functions as a 'Cinderella service' facing systemic delays and reform failures
Recommendation: The County Court is the ‘Cinderella service’ of the justice system in England and Wales. It is beset by delays as a result of a failed attempt at digital reform, recruitment and retention issues, and a complex and dysfunctional “patchwork” …
Gov response: Not accepted. The work of the Justice Committee through its Work of the County Court Inquiry has been meticulous and thorough. The Inquiry itself has provided a solid foundation and highlighted the areas of the …
Not Accepted
#16 — Include in-depth assessment of County Court recruitment and retention crisis in future review.
Recommendation: A future review must include an in-depth assessment of the recruitment and retention crisis of the County Court, extending the existing discussions regarding HMCTS pay scales to include assessments of current and required workload capacities ensuring any additional resource is …
Gov response: HMCTS’s approach to designing digital services involves extensive user research and co-designing with users (judiciary, court staff, legal representatives and Litigants in Person). We have continued to adjust and improve our piloting and testing approach, …
Accepted
#29 —
Recommendation: The Bill should be amended to ensure that conditions depriving a restricted patient of their liberty are reviewed by the Mental Health Tribunal promptly and regularly In particular, the Secretary of State should refer the restricted patient’s case to the …
Gov response: We agree with the Committee that this power must only be used when necessary due to the level of restriction imposed on the individual, and the extent of supervision these patients may be subject to. …
Partially Accepted
#38 —
Recommendation: The definition of complex and lengthy cases in clause 4 leaves open a number of important questions that the courts will have to resolve. For example, what level of complexity will be deemed inappropriate for trial by jury, and how …
Response Pending
#37 —
Recommendation: The provisions on judge only trials must only apply to cases yet to be arraigned on or after the day on which they are brought into force. (Recommendation, Paragraph 135)
Response Pending
#36 —
Recommendation: We accept that the new arrangements should apply to defendants who are yet to be arraigned in the Crown Court. However, in our view, it is unfair to reallocate those cases that have already had their Plea and Trial Preparation …
Response Pending
#32 —
Recommendation: The determination whether to allocate an either-way case to the Crown Court Bench division will have significant implications for the defendant and everyone else involved in the case. The determination will be based on an early assessment of the circumstances …
Response Pending
#31 —
Recommendation: The government must consider whether relying on the three-year sentence threshold is the right approach to allocating either-way cases to judge only trial in the Crown Court. In particular, the government must ensure alternative criteria are included to enable the …
Response Pending
#30 —
Recommendation: There are likely to be unintended policy consequences that flow from the three-year threshold. For example, when the government is deciding on the proposed statutory maximum custodial sentence for a new criminal offence, it is possible that it may be …
Response Pending
#29 —
Recommendation: The evidence received suggests that a system of judge only trials is likely to be fairer and more efficient if defendants can elect for judge only trials. Although this would be in tension with the government’s view that only the …
Response Pending
#13 —
Recommendation: Given proposals to increase the complexity and seriousness of the magistrates’ courts’ caseload, the government should consider delaying the introduction of any changes to the appeals process. A delay would enable the government to assess the impact of the reforms …
Response Pending
#10 —
Recommendation: Government has also committed additional funding to support the court system to reduce the backlogs, including by making court rooms safe through the installation of plexiglass and introducing 40 Nightingale courts, with plans to increase this by a further 20 …
Gov response: 3.3 The Permanent Secretary wrote to the Committee on 18 May 2021 providing an update on recent progress and current plans, and the Lord Chancellor has been clear that he wants the Crown Courts to …
Not Addressed
#3 —
Recommendation: Without significant reform there is a real chance that there will be a shortage of qualified criminal legal aid lawyers to fulfil the crucial role of defending suspects and defendants. This risks a shift in the balance between prosecution and …
Gov response: as part of his Independent Review into Criminal Legal Aid, including market composition and the provider pipeline. We will address this issue in our response to his review and have committed to responding to the …
Under Consideration
NAO audit recommendations(1)
IMB individual recommendations(34)
Cookham Wood (2021)
An urgent review of court procedures is required, to avoid children enduring long periods in prison while being held on remand – with the potential for at least some of them being found not guilty at the end of their long stay on remand.
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Usk and Prescoed (2024)
How does the Minister plan to reduce the delays in holding parole boards?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Hewell (2024)
What will the Minister do to reduce numbers in custody related to the length of time on remand due to backlogs in the courts?
Ministry of Justice
Noted
Durham (2021)
Of concern is the rise in the number of unsentenced prisoners: there has been a 100% increase in the numbers who have been in Durham for more than one year. The Board awaits the Minister’s response on what else can be done to reduce the backlog in criminal cases and hence reduce time on remand (4.1.2 / 4.1.4).
Other
In Progress
Wakefield (2023)
We ask the Minister to act in respect of prisoners at HMP Wakefield who are substantially over tariff and subject to the consequences of the now discredited ‘sentences of imprisonment for public protection [IPP]’ (see Criminal Justice Act 2003).
Other
Birmingham (2023)
Despite reporting on this last year and the year before, Birmingham IMB observe that there has been no reduction in the length of stays on remand, which can be up to three, or even exceptionally four years. In reply to the last annual report the Minister gave certain assurances and yet there has been no measurable improvement. What steps will …
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Hollesley Bay (2024)
The Board will continue to press for a review of the 2023 decision to reject the Justice Select Committee’s recommendation, for the re-sentencing of IPP prisoners (serving Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences). Although some changes have been made, these do not, in the main, benefit serving prisoners in the open estate. What specific steps will the Minister take to address …
Ministry of Justice
Partially Accepted
Peterborough (2025)
When will the various measures being recommended and discussed to reduce the number of remand prisoners waiting for trial or for sentencing actually start to have a positive impact?
Other
In Progress
Nottingham (2025)
What steps will the Minister take to reduce the prisoners who are convicted but not sentenced? It is predicted that a significant percentage will be released on receiving sentence, thus freeing up prison spaces.
Other
In Progress
Leyhill (2020)
For the reasons set out in the body of the Report (see paragraph 5.1) and in last year’s Report , what further consideration will the minister give to possible ways of swifter progression to conclusion of the majority of IPP sentences?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Leicester (2021)
Is the minister able to work with colleagues in the criminal justice system to address this situation?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Hollesley Bay (2021)
That further consideration is given to the indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP) regime to eradicate many of the injustices that are all too common in the system.
Ministry of Justice
Accepted
Hewell (2023)
What is being done to address or influence the backlogs in the court system which mean prison beds are taken up with men on remand or awaiting sentencing?
Other
Haverigg (2023)
the board urges the Minister to bring forward legislation to enable a re-sentencing exercise, as recommended by the Justice Committee in September 2022.
Other
Grendon (2023)
The Board recommends that the Minister assures the Board that measures have been put in place to address delays in Ministerial responses to Parole Board recommendations and that they will not occur in future.
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Peterborough (men) (2024)
How does the Minister intend to reduce the time some men are held on remand?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Leeds (2024)
Can the Minister give an assurance that he will actively support the outcome of the Gauke review to reduce the number of men being sent to the prison and prioritise the reduction in the backlog of court cases waiting to be heard (and, thereby, reduce the number of remand prisoners being held in the prison)?
Other
Accepted
Leeds (2024)
Can the Minister give an assurance that the IPP Action Plan will be actively pursued by the Government?
Other
Accepted
Lancaster Farms (2024)
When will the Minister accelerate resolution for prisoners with outstanding Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Wetherby (2025)
At the end of the reporting year, 42 young people were held on remand in Wetherby. What urgent measures is the Minister implementing to reduce these delays and ensure timely access to justice?
Ministry of Justice
Bristol (2025)
What actions are being taken to reduce the number of prisoners on remand and the time that a prisoner is on remand?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Ranby (2020)
What steps is the minister taking to resolve the issue surrounding prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP)? HMP Ranby has 14, who are now all well over their initial tariff.
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Eastwood Park (2020)
Will the minister address the differences in sentencing practice with the Sentencing Council as they appear to show that a prison sentence is partly determined by postcode?
Ministry of Justice
Noted
Wealstun (2022)
To end the inhumane treatment of prisoners serving IPP sentences across the prison estate by releasing all remaining IPP prisoners.
Ministry of Justice
Leicester (2022)
Is the minister able to work with colleagues in the criminal justice system to address this situation?
Ministry of Justice
Rochester (2023)
For the majority of the reporting year, the Rochester Board had just six active members from an establishment of 14. Consequently, the Board found it increasingly challenging to discharge its statutory duties. The minister is asked to note this issue, and assist by expediting delays which occur, such as with security clearances. (paragraph 8.1. refers)
Ministry of Justice
Nottingham (2024)
Will the Minister take measures to address the pressure on capacity across the prison estate and the churn of prisoners from the courts who are remanded or awaiting sentence?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Swaleside (2025)
The Board is concerned about the number of adjudications that are being adjourned and prisoners not attending. This undermines the effective running of the prison. What are the reasons for the high number of adjournments and non-attendances and what actions can be taken to address them?
HMPPS
Accepted
Wakefield (2021)
Act in respect of prisoners at HMP Wakefield who are substantially over tariff and subject to the consequences of the now discredited ‘sentences of imprisonment for public protection’ (IPP) (see Criminal Justice Act 2003).
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Lowdham Grange (2023)
The Board feels that the amendments to the Parole Board rules, which came into force in July 2022, are denying opportunities for prisoners who are seeking transfer to open conditions or moving towards release. The Board would like to see the opinions and recommendations of prison and probation staff being given due consideration when such decisions are made.
Ministry of Justice
Lowdham Grange (2023)
The Board believes there should be a renewed focus and energy on reviewing the sentences of indeterminate sentenced (IPP) prisoners, as this recommendation from the Justice Select Committee was not accepted.
Ministry of Justice
Lewes (2023)
Will the Minister reconsider the recommendation of the Justice Committee to commission a resentencing exercise for all prisoners on imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences?
Ministry of Justice
Leicester (2023)
Is the minister able to work with colleagues in the criminal justice system to address this situation?
Ministry of Justice
Doncaster (2025)
Overcrowding in the prison system continues. Can the Prison Service commit to supporting the recommendations of the Gauke review by prioritising the reduction in the backlog of court cases thereby shortening the time prisoners spend on remand?
HMPPS
In Progress
PHSO casework decisions(2)
P-002475 — HM Courts and Tribunals Service
Ms O complains that HM Courts and Tribunals Service prevented her from having an oral hearing of her applications in court.
UK Government
Feb 2024
P-002579 — HM Courts and Tribunals Service
Mr A complains that HMCTS backdated the seal to indicate when a Remuneration Application was issued, which was lodged in August 2021.
UK Government
May 2024
LGO / SPSO decisions(14)
24-006-989 — London Tribunals
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about various matters in connection with Ms X’s appeal to London Tribunals about a penalty charge notice. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. We have no remit …
LGO (Local Government & …
Transport And Highways
Sep 2024
23-019-065 — Wakefield City Council
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about an assessment the Council completed for the Court. The law says we cannot investigate matters that the Court has dealt with.
LGO (Local Government & …
Education
Apr 2024
22-007-312 — Staffordshire County Council
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the content of a court report and the Council’s actions in creating a conflict of interest that delayed a court case. The matters complained of are not separable from matters that form part of court proceedings.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Sep 2022
22-002-172 — Stoke-on-Trent City Council
This is because the courts are in the best position to decide the issues
LGO (Local Government & …
Other Categories
Jun 2022
22-006-682 — Cornwall Council
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to provide documents relating to a court case. This is because the complaint relates to matters decided at court and we have no remit to intervene.
LGO (Local Government & …
Other Categories
Sep 2022
22-008-726 — London Borough of Hackney
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a parking fine. This is because the complainant has already used their right of appeal to a court, so we have no remit to investigate.
LGO (Local Government & …
Transport And Highways
Sep 2022
22-007-846 — London Borough of Redbridge
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions in pursuing Ms X about school attendance. The matters complained of are not separable from matters subject to court action. Even if that were not so, matters before 2021 are late, and there would be no good reason to …
LGO (Local Government & …
Education
Sep 2022
23-020-526 — London Borough of Hackney
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about a court report. The law says we cannot investigate matters that have been considered by the Court.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
May 2024
24-002-956 — West Berkshire Council
Summary: We will not investigate Ms H’s complaint about a dispute over the Council’s actions towards her adult daughter because we cannot investigate the start or conduct of court action, and the Court is best placed to resolve the matters in dispute and decide on the arrangements, so we could …
LGO (Local Government & …
Education
Dec 2024
201400855 — Scottish Court Service
Miss C was party to legal proceedings. She complained to the Scottish Court Service (SCS) that she had not received within a reasonable timescale a copy of documents relating to the decisions taken at the proceedings. She then submitted a claim for compensation due to the consequences of the documents …
SPSO (Scottish Public Se…
Scottish Government and Devolved Administration
Upheld
Nov 2014
25-020-088 — London Borough of Bromley
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about a court report. The law prevents us from investigating what happens in court.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Dec 2025
25-015-478 — Royal Borough of Greenwich
Summary: We cannot investigate Ms Z’s complaint about legal proceedings involving the Council. This is because the law does not allow us to investigate complaints about court action and what happened in court.
LGO (Local Government & …
Other Categories
Jan 2026
21-015-617 — Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to take legal action against the complainant, and how it plans to review the decision. This is because the matter has been subject to court proceedings which places it outside of our jurisdiction.
LGO (Local Government & …
Other Categories
Feb 2022
24-004-413 — Bury Metropolitan Borough Council
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s conduct during an appeal to the SEND Tribunal. The law prevents us from investigating complaints about the actions of a council during a tribunal appeal.
LGO (Local Government & …
Education
Jul 2024