Today (1 Dec 2025) Luke Myer MP served on a committee in Parliament which approved new regulations to strengthen the way judges are appointed in England and Wales. The reforms increase the Judicial Appointments Commission’s capacity to recruit judges, ensuring more judges are able to be recruited more quickly.

The changes support the wider national effort to end the courts backlog and strengthen judicial capacity so that more cases can be heard without delay.

The Government has announced record investment in court capacity with funding confirmed for an extra 1,250 Crown Court sitting days this year and a total of 111,250 sitting days overall, the highest level ever recorded. Further announcements in March confirmed substantial extra funding to repair the ageing court estate and bring closed courtrooms back into use.

Luke has been vocal on this issue since being elected. In Parliament at this time last year, he warned ministers that the backlog in the North East had risen above 9,000 cases and that “justice is being delayed” for victims across Teesside. He pressed the Government to act and highlighted the strain placed on the entire criminal justice system. Years of rising delays have left victims and witnesses waiting far too long for justice.

The Justice Secretary is also proposing an overhaul of which cases should be heard by juries, following Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. Luke believes jury trials must remain a cornerstone of the justice system, and the Justice Secretary has confirmed that this will remain the case for the most serious cases, but more other cases will be heard in magistrates courts (where 90% of criminal trials are heard, and heard five times faster).

Luke has consistently argued that victims deserve far quicker outcomes and that the justice system must be rebuilt after years of decline.

Speaking after the latest announcements, Luke Myer MP said:

“People across Teesside have seen the impact of long delays in our courts. Victims have waited years for justice, and that is simply not acceptable. I have pressed this issue in Parliament from the beginning, and I am pleased to support action to increase sitting days, recruit more judges and repair the court estate.

“The regulations we passed this week will strengthen appointments and help the system keep pace with demand. There is still a long way to go, but these steps show that the justice system is being rebuilt and that victims are finally being put first.”