Karl Turner MP: written questions
21 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023Northern Ireland OfficeTabled 30 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 900850More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications of the Dillon judgement for his Department's policies.
Answer: The Supreme Court confirmed that the ICRIR is capable of delivering human rights-compliant investigations, and reaffirmed the Government’s position on the interpretation and application of Article 2 of the Windsor Framework. The judgment also showed that ...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordMental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14323More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing open access care models in mental health services; and if he will take steps to ensure that people have access to timely supp
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the announcement on this subject made by my rt. Hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 5 August 2026, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news...
Answered 25 Aug 2026
Original Parliament recordFunerals: Environmental HealthMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has the Department made of the potential merits of funeral directors becoming a a) licensable or b) inspectable activity under existing environmental health frame
Answer: The Government offers its deepest sympathies to all those affected by the events referred to in these questions.Local authorities are independent employers, responsible for the recruitment and management of Environmental Health Officers to fulfil their st...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordFunerals: Environmental HealthMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123634More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has the department made of the adequacy of environmental health inspections with regard to the case of Elkin & Bell Funeral Directors, Portsmouth Crown Court 2026
Answer: The Government offers its deepest sympathies to all those affected by the events referred to in these questions.Local authorities are independent employers, responsible for the recruitment and management of Environmental Health Officers to fulfil their st...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordFunerals: Environmental HealthMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123633More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what data does the department collect on environmental health breaches associated with a) poor hygiene, b) storage of bodies or c) handling practices in funeral premises.
Answer: The Government offers its deepest sympathies to all those affected by the events referred to in these questions.Local authorities are independent employers, responsible for the recruitment and management of Environmental Health Officers to fulfil their st...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordFunerals: Environmental HealthMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123632More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of standards of environmental health particular to funeral directors as settings which could impact public health.
Answer: The Government offers its deepest sympathies to all those affected by the events referred to in these questions.Local authorities are independent employers, responsible for the recruitment and management of Environmental Health Officers to fulfil their st...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordFunerals: RegulationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123631More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has the department made of possible regulatory gaps concerning funeral directors with particular regard to a) environmental health and b) public safety.
Answer: The Government offers its deepest sympathies to all those affected by the events referred to in these questions.Local authorities are independent employers, responsible for the recruitment and management of Environmental Health Officers to fulfil their st...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordCrown CourtMinistry of JusticeTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103236More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the current average number of Crown court courtrooms that are not sitting in a month is; and what steps he is taking to address the issue of Crown Courts not sitting.
Answer: I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on 6 January to question 100312.
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordTrialsMinistry of JusticeTabled 6 Jan 2026WithdrawnUIN 103235More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has conducted an assessment of the amount of Crown Court and Magistrates’ Court sitting time lost as a result of the late production or non-production of defendants in custody.
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordJuriesMinistry of JusticeTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103234More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to apply trial by a single judge sitting alone retrospectively to defendants who have already entered a plea and elected trial by jury.
Answer: The Government is focused on bringing down the backlog as soon as possible. Once the criminal court reforms come into force, they will apply to existing cases, provided the trial has not yet commenced. This will mean that cases which are past the point of...
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCrown CourtMinistry of JusticeTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100312More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Crown Court courtrooms are not sitting on average in each month, and what steps he is taking to address the issue of Crown Courts not sitting.
Answer: HMCTS’s priority is to ensure all funded sitting days are fully utilised each financial year through active courtroom management. Last year we sat 107,771 Crown court sitting days, representing over 99% of our allocation, and we remain on track to deliver...
Answered 6 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordTrialsMinistry of JusticeTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100311More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has conducted an assessment of Crown Court and Magistrates’ Court sitting time lost as a result of the late production or non-production of defendants in custody.
Answer: Data on the number of trials declared ineffective due to the non-production of defendants can be found here: Trial effectiveness at the Criminal Courts tool.In the most recent reported quarter (July to September 2025) – non-production of defendants accoun...
Answered 8 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordTrialsMinistry of JusticeTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100310More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to apply trial by a single judge sitting alone retrospectively to defendants who have already entered a plea and elected trial by jury.
Answer: Ministers will introduce detailed proposals to Parliament as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Answered 6 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordJuriesMinistry of JusticeTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100309More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to publish the modelling and impact assessment relating to proposals to limit the use of jury trials.
Answer: An impact assessment will accompany our legislative measures, as is usual practice.
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCrown CourtMinistry of JusticeTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100308More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that available Crown Court courtrooms are utilised on every sitting day.
Answer: HMCTS’s priority is to ensure all funded sitting days are fully utilised each financial year through active courtroom management. Last year we sat 107,771 Crown court sitting days, representing over 99% of our allocation, and we remain on track to deliver...
Answered 6 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMagistrates: AgeMinistry of JusticeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99760More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of serving magistrates are under the age of 40.
Answer: The breakdown of magistrates in post by age bands is provided in table 3.6 of the annual official Diversity of the Judiciary statistics (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/diversity-of-the-judiciary-2025-statistics).
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTrialsMinistry of JusticeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99759More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the duration of hearings required to determine whether an offence is likely to attract a custodial sentence of three years or more.
Answer: Criminal cases will continue to start in the magistrates’ court and will be sent to the Crown Court by magistrates where the seriousness or complexity of the case means it is more suitable for trial on indictment.Post reforms, to determine whether a triab...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTrialsMinistry of JusticeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99758More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which (a) court and (b) judicial body will determine whether an offence is likely to attract a custodial sentence of three years or more for the purposes of allocating the mode of trial.
Answer: Criminal cases will continue to start in the magistrates’ court and will be sent to the Crown Court by magistrates where the seriousness or complexity of the case means it is more suitable for trial on indictment.Post reforms, to determine whether a triab...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordJudgements: StandardsMinistry of JusticeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99757More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the time required for a single judge to prepare written judgments in criminal cases tried without a jury.
Answer: Post-reforms, any judge sitting alone in the Crown Court will give a reasoned judgment for their verdict in open court. This will increase transparency over how decisions to convict or acquit are reached as juries do not currently give reasons for their j...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCrown Court: JudgementsMinistry of JusticeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99708More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his planned timetable is for Crown Court judges to produce written judgments in cases tried by a single judge sitting alone.
Answer: Post-reforms, any judge sitting alone in the Crown Court will give a reasoned judgment for their verdict in open court. This will increase transparency over how decisions to convict or acquit are reached as juries do not currently give reasons for their j...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordJuriesMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98757More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to introduce a sunset clause for proposals to limit jury trials.
Answer: There has been no major reform of the criminal courts since the establishment of the Crown Court in 1971, despite Lord Auld making similar recommendations to Sir Brian Leveson in 2001.Sir Brian’s report found that jury trials are taking twice as long as t...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
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