Legislative scrutiny: Courts and Tribunals Bill

The Justice Committee has issued a call for evidence to inform its scrutiny of the Courts and Tribunals Bill. The Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 25 February 2026 and is due to have its Second Reading debate on 10 March. Dates for Committee stage are yet to be confirmed. Overview In brief, the Bill aims to: make structural changes to the operation of the criminal courts in England and Wales based on recommendations made in Part One of Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of the Criminal Courts; reform the law on evidence and procedure in sexual offence prosecutions, drawing on recommendations from the Law Commission; repeal the presumption of parental involvement in the Children Act 1989; modernise operational and leadership arrangements across courts and tribunals; and make certain other technical and administrative reforms. Read the Call for Evidence to learn more. Inquiries allow committees to consider oral and written evidence on a particular topic. They usually r