Government Spending Review - What will "Justice" receive?

On 11 June 2025, the Chancellor of the Exchequer informed the House of Commons of the outcome of the government's spending review (SR).

What was in the review for "Justice" ?  

The government has published some detail which may be seen at  - Spending Review Documents 

The key points are:

• The Ministry of Justice settlement provides a Department Expenditure Limit (DEL) of £15.6 billion in 2028 -29. This is equivalent to an annual average real terms growth rate of 3.1% from 2023‑24 to 2028‑29.

• In summer 2024, prisons were operating at over 99% capacity, and emergency measures were required to prevent capacity breaching. Through the Phase 2 settlement, MoJ will expand prison, probation and courts capacity to record levels alongside long-term reform to deliver a sustainable and effective justice system. The SR provides £7 billion from 2024‑25 to 2029‑30 to build 14,000 new prison places, alongside up to £700 million per year by 2028‑29, compared with 2025‑26, to transform the probation system. the government therefore claims that it is providing the funding necessary to deliver transformative reforms to sentencing, based on the recommendations set out in the recent Sentencing Review.

• The Phase 2 settlement provides up to £450 million additional investment per year for the courts system by 2028‑29 compared with 2025-26, increasing Crown Court sitting days to record levels and helping to implement the recommendations from the Independent Review of Criminal Courts. This will help tackle court backlogs and improve court productivity. There will be increased capacity every year to process asylum appeals, to help reduce illegal and irregular migration and bear down on asylum costs.

Doubtless further analysis will appear as the various financial experts get to grip with the Review documentation. The report of the Independent review of Criminal Courts is awaited.

Reaction

Bar Council - Spending Review is sign of listening to voices from the courts

Law Society Gazette - Reeves spares justice - but no quick fix