Reforms criminal courts by removing defendants' right to elect Crown Court trial, allowing judge-only trials for complex cases, increasing magistrates' sentencing powers, and removing the statutory presumption of parental involvement in Children Act decisions.
A Bill to Make provision in relation to criminal courts in England and Wales; to make provision about the leadership of tribunals; to amend section 1 of the Children Act 1989 to remove the presumption relating to the involvement of parents in the life of a child; and for connected purposes.
Status: In Progress
Current House: Lords
Stage: 2nd reading
Sponsored by: Mr David Lammy, Lord Lemos
Introduced: 2026-02-25