Politics Home | Labour MPs Told To Block Amendments Giving Victims Right To Free Court Transcripts

The government is ordering its MPs to vote against changes that would enable victims to access court transcripts for free. (Alamy)

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Three clauses were added to the legislation by the House of Lords, including “a clause that would enable victims to have access to free transcripts of court proceedings”. MPs are set to vote on them on Wednesday afternoon.

Costs for victims requesting transcripts of trials, including those who are victims of rape or sexual assault, can run into the tens of thousands, which critics say leaves many unable to pay the fees and therefore unable to access transcripts of trials in which they are the victim. 

Last year, the government accepted an Independent Sentencing Review (ISR) recommendation to make permanent a pilot allowing victims of rape and sexual offences to apply for a transcript of the sentencing remarks free of charge, when the defendant has been found guilty.

PoliticsHome understands that while the government remains fully committed to implementing the ISR recommendation, it considers amendments tabled by peers to go far beyond that commitment.

In the letter to Labour MPs ahead of votes on Wednesday, seen by PoliticsHome, minister Alex Davies-Jones cites government concerns around preparedness and the affordability of what the amendment seeks to introduce, as well as warnings that it could affect reporting restrictions on trials.

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesperson told PoliticsHome: “No victim should ever be in the dark about decisions reached in their case. 

“That’s why the government is working hard to improve victims’ access to information, and we remain committed to providing all victims with free Crown Court sentencing remarks on request by Spring 2027. 

“We will carefully consider the implications of these amendments and set out next steps in due course.” 

However, PoliticsHome understands that the instruction to oppose the amendments caused upset among some Labour MPs, with some having meetings with the MoJ to discuss the government’s position.

The push to make transcripts free was the subject of a Westminster Hall debate on Monday, after a petition seeking to “make all court and tribunal transcripts available free of charge” reached over 200,000 signatures. 

Last year, now Victim’s Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman, told the BBC that victims being unable to access transcripts acted as a “real block to recovery”, and that victims had told her transcripts “should come as a part of them being able to see justice being done”.

“It’s really difficult for them to understand why there was an acquittal, especially if they haven’t come back into the court process, which many of them won’t have done,” said Waxman.