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Queen’s Speech - plans to transform the justice system

A raft of new measures to transform the justice system were set out today as part of the Queen’s Speech.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

A raft of new measures to transform the justice system were set out today as part of the Queen’s Speech at the annual state opening of Parliament.

Over the next year the courts and tribunals service will be reformed to increase efficiency and transparency, while the judicial appointments process will be reformed to encourage greater judicial diversity. Measures will also be put in place to protect free speech, and to make the security services more accountable, by allowing civil courts to consider all information relating to a case - even where national security prevents it from being made public.

The justice system will be made more accessible than ever before with radical plans to allow television cameras to broadcast limited footage from courts - initially in the Court of Appeal and then extended to the Crown Court. No victims, witnesses, offenders and jurors would be filmed.

Alongside this, plans will be implemented to increase the efficiency of fine enforcement and reform the civil court system.

They will be introduced and debated in Parliament over the next twelve months.

Published 9 May 2012