§ Lord Merlyn-Reesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have for a review of the criminal courts. [HL380]
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg)I have appointed the right honourable Lord Justice Auld to conduct a review of the criminal courts. The terms of reference of the review are as follows:
"An inquiry into the practices and procedures of, and the rules of evidence applied by, the criminal courts at every level, with a view to ensuring that they deliver justice fairly, by streamlining all their processes, increasing their efficiency and strengthening the effectiveness of their relationships with others across the whole of the criminal justice system, and having regard to the interests of all parties including the victims and witnesses, thereby promoting public confidence in the law".
The review is expected to last for 12 months.
I have today placed copies of the terms of reference of the review in the Libraries of both Houses.