I very much welcome this Bill as it will help improve the efficiency of the court and tribunals system by modernising existing court processes to provide better services for all court users.
It is good news that ministers will be introducing new rules to end the need for participants to travel unnecessarily to court by allowing criminal courts to maximise the use of video and audio technology as it develops.
The Bill will also enshrine open justice principles by allowing for remote observers, using video and audio technology, across the vast majority of courts and tribunals improving public access and transparency.
As you may be aware, current laws ban the presence of a ‘stranger’ being in the jury deliberation room. I am encouraged by the fact that this will be scrapped and instead allow a British Sign Language Interpreter into the room. As a consequence, profoundly deaf people will be able to sit on juries.
I will continue to follow the developments in this area as the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill progresses through Parliament.