Downing Street has said there are currently no plans to abolish jury trials, following reports that Prime Minister Andy Burnham's Government could abandon proposals introduced under former Justice Secretary David Lammy.
Earlier reports suggested that ministers were considering dropping proposals that would have restricted jury trials to the most serious criminal offences as part of wider reforms intended to reduce the backlog in the Crown Courts. The proposals attracted significant criticism from members of the legal profession, opposition parties and some Labour MPs, who argued that trial by jury is a fundamental safeguard within the criminal justice system.
Responding to questions following the recent ministerial reshuffle, a Downing Street spokesman said there are "no plans to scrap jury trials."
No further details have been released about the future of the wider Courts and Tribunals Bill, and the Government has not announced whether any aspects of the proposed reforms will be amended or withdrawn.
The comments come after David Lammy left government during Prime Minister Andy Burnham's recent Cabinet reshuffle, with Alex Norris taking over as Justice Secretary. While speculation has continued over the future direction of justice policy, the Government's current official position is that there are no plans to abolish jury trials.