Slaughter: Justice system has been neglected
Barrister and former shadow justice minister Andy Slaughter was yesterday elected as the new chair of the justice select committee.
Mr Slaughter, the Labour MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick, won out by 400 votes to 149 for Mike Tapp, a newly elected Labour MP who served in the intelligence corps before working at the National Crime Agency and later in a counter-terrorism role at the Ministry of Defence.
He succeeds Sir Bob Neill, the Conservative chair for many years who stood down at this year’s election. The committee’s report on various aspects of the justice system play a significant role in holding the government to account.
In his pitch for the job, Mr Slaughter said: “The justice system has been neglected as a public service under successive governments. Crisis is a much-used word in government at present, but few doubt we have a prisons crisis, a courts crisis and very depleted representation and advice services.
He acknowledged that “the route out of this is going to be incremental” but said there were “too few courts, judges, lawyers and the system is inefficient”.
The MP continued: “Advice deserts exist across parts of the country. There is a lack of early advice and representation which excludes many from access to justice in civil and family cases as well as crime. The delays in cases coming to court arbitrarily punish victims, witnesses and defendants.
“The role of the justice select committee should be to test the solutions put forward, to identify the flaws and missteps along the way so these can be corrected and to cross-examine the policy makers and managers of the system.”
He also highlighted various unresolved matters that the committee should consider, including indeterminate IPP (imprisonment for public protection) sentences, miscarriages of justice and the role of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the coronial service, the prosecution of serious fraud and SLAPPS (strategic lawsuits against public participation).
As a barrister, Mr Slaughter practised both criminal and civil law, before first being elected in 2005.
He was a shadow justice minister for many years and from 2021 to 2023 shadow Solicitor General. He has previously served on the committee, was a member of the Westminster Commission on Legal Aid and is the current co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on access to justice.
Among his supporters were former shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry, solicitor Karl Turner and former Conservative Attorney General Jeremy Wright.
Responding to his election, Law Society president Nick Emmerson said the committee’s work “has never been more important given the crisis in our justice system”.
He continued: “Key areas of focus for the committee should include the huge backlogs of cases in our courts which are leaving victims, witnesses and defendants in limbo for years.
“The exodus of essential professionals including solicitors, barristers and judges is another huge problem which needs to be addressed for the system to be stabilised. Key to resolving both these issues is adequate resourcing…
“Rebuilding the justice system will take years of hard work, investment and sensible reform. We look forward to working with the new chair to help progress this vital work.”
Matthew Maxwell Scott, executive director of the Association of Consumer Support Organisations, urged the committee not to neglect civil justice. “The last committee’s inquiry on delays in the county court is something we hope the new members will agree to pick up on.
“Average wait times remain at all-time highs, and far above where they were before the pandemic. The snap election meant ministers and officials were unable to give oral evidence and the committee could not release a report, but this issue has not gone away.
“Equally, the last committee’s work on the operation of the Official Injury Claim portal could not be concluded, but now that we have the Rabot decision on mixed injuries and yet more data showing the challenges faced by consumers using the portal, it would be good to see this looked at afresh.”
Meanwhile, at justice questions in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Henry Tufnell, Labour MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire, observed that there were no local solicitors’ firms in Pembrokeshire offering pro bono work, and the nearest free legal advice centre was in Swansea.
He asked: “Many of my constituents are therefore unable to access to justice, which is particularly distressing in the area of family law and care proceedings. What steps is the minister taking to tackle the issue of legal deserts in places such as Pembrokeshire and west Wales?”
Justice minister Heidi Alexander replied: “In our courts and tribunals, modernised services and a more effective use of technology can improve people’s access to the justice system, but I recognise that there is more to do.”
Meanwhile, Harpreet Uppal, Labour MP for Huddersfield, referenced the former clients of Sheffield law firm SSB Group, who have been “unexpectedly pursued for adverse legal costs” over the cavity wall claims they brought.
She called for an urgent review of the situation, “including establishing a cross-government working group on the matter”.
Ms Alexander said: “I am aware from correspondence that I have received, as the member of Parliament for Swindon South, that there are significant concerns about the collapse of law firms such as SSB Solicitors, Axiom Law and McClure [a Scottish law firm that went under in 2021].
“As my honourable friend said, the Solicitors Regulation Authority is looking at this, as is the Legal Services Board, and I shall be happy to speak to her further to provide an update.”
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