Non-practising barrister Andy Slaughter has been voted by fellow MPs to lead the House of Commons justice committee in this parliament.
The Hammersmith and Chiswick Labour MP was confirmed as the new committee chair by the Speaker yesterday.
His predecessor, Conservative Bob Neill, who stepped down as an MP in July, is also a non-practising barrister.
In his pitch for the role, Slaughter had said he wanted to focus on the prisons crisis and efficiency of the justice system, but also on specific issues such as IPP sentences, miscarriages of justice and the role of the CCRC, the coronial service, prosecution of serious fraud and SLAPPs (strategic lawsuits against public participation).
Slaughter brings considerable experience: he has sat as an MP for 19 years, served as shadow justice minister for six years and shadow solicitor general for two years.
Responding to the election, Law Society president Nick Emmerson said the committee’s work has never been more important given the state of the justice system.
‘Key areas of focus for the committee should include the huge backlogs of cases in our courts which are leaving victims, witnesses and defendants in limbo for years,’ said Emmerson. ‘The exodus of essential professionals including solicitors, barristers and judges is another huge problem which needs to be addressed for the system to be stabilised.’
Matthew Maxwell Scott, executive director of the Association of Consumer Support Organisations, urged Slaughter to retain a focus on civil justice as well as criminal.
‘The last committee’s inquiry on delays in the county court is something we hope the new members will agree to pick up on,’ he said. ‘Average wait times remain at all-time highs, and far above where they were before the pandemic. The snap election meant ministers and officials were unable to give oral evidence and the committee could not release a report, but this issue has not gone away.’
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