The second Opposition Day Debate was on protecting the public and ensuring justice for victims. The backlog in the Crown Court is at record levels of more than 57,000 cases – and sat at 39,000 even before the pandemic began. The backlog has been exacerbated by the pandemic but it was initiated by the Government closing half of all courts in England and Wales between 2010-19 and allowing 27,000 fewer sitting days than in 2016. HM Opposition have called for a package of emergency measures during the pandemic, including mass-testing in courts, the extension of Nightingale Courts, reduced juries until restrictions were lifted – all of which the government ignored. We will now need a guaranteed 33,000 extra sitting days and more Nightingale Courts to clear the backlog. 

On Wednesday 9 June 2021, HM Opposition held the first of two Opposition Day Debates on investing in children and young people. 

A heads up to let out know that as part of Highways England’s work to improve M6 junction 10 to ease congestion and reduce journey times, the M6 motorway will be closed over the weekend of 3-5 July 2021.

Rt Hon Valerie Vaz MP held a parliamentary debate on the decision-making on Walsall’s GRT transit site

A second meeting of the APPG on Epilepsy was held on Tuesday 25 May 2021 to mark National Epilepsy Awareness Week. We discussed young people’s changing experiences of epilepsy care presented by Catherine Hodder of Young Epilepsy. Two young people shared their personal experiences of epilepsy care.