Beaconsfield MP Joy Morrissey writes exclusively to Bucks Free Press readers. She writes:

This week saw announcements from the Government that I hope will greatly benefit the towns and villages of my constituency.

Tackling crime and antisocial behaviour is a priority for me, and the courts have a vital role in this process. What are sometimes described as “low level offences” do in fact have a profound impact on many people’s ability to feel safe and secure in their homes.

The investment to support the recruitment of 4,000 new magistrates may not have grabbed every headline, but it will make a difference to the everyday lives of many in our communities.

Magistrates are the backbone of our criminal justice system, often unsung but vital in ensuring that criminals are prosecuted.

Handling around 95 per cent of all criminal cases, our magistrates need the support and the proper powers to dispense justice on behalf of all of us.

This is why I am so pleased that in addition to recruiting new magistrates, we are doubling the maximum sentence that a magistrates’ court can hand down from six to 12 months.

Allowing this greater power of sentencing will enable our magistrates’ courts to hear more serious cases and dispense justice more swiftly.

One of the most important aspects of this change is that it will free up more time in the crown court, which deals with the most serious cases.

Nearly 2,000 additional days of crown court time will be made available by these measures, allowing us to resolve a great many more of the most severe cases, stopping people waiting significant periods for trial, and bringing much-needed resolution to victims of crime.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, our courts have managed to keep going through incredibly difficult circumstances, and as we return to normal, we must do what is necessary to drive down the backlog.