The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a radical and swift transition to the widespread use of remote hearings – where some or all participants attend by video or audio rather than in-person to ensure justice continued to be served.

Today we published an evaluation of remote hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic research report. This reports the experience of public users, the judiciary, legal representatives, HMCTS staff, and support professionals and their attitudes towards remote hearings.

Key findings include:

• public users attending remotely were slightly more likely to be satisfied with the overall experience of their hearing than in-person users (benefits included greater convenience, reduced costs and removing the anxiety of being in a room with another participant, who they may be in conflict with)
• legal representatives were positive about remote hearings, with 93% saying they felt remote hearings were an acceptable alternative during the pandemic (views were mixed about how they should be used in the future)
• 51% of judges thought remote hearings were effective at creating an environment comparable to in-person hearings, but raised concerns about their impact on well-being and increased workload

The evaluation also recommended more support for vulnerable users and increasing awareness of the support available to public users when attending a remote hearing.

We’ll use the evaluation findings to plan developments to our services. Some of the findings have already been addressed by the new Video Hearings service that will replace the Cloud Video Platform (CVP). CVP was rolled out quickly in response to COVID-19 and has been widely used to run remote hearings. During 2022 we’ll move away from CVP to the more comprehensive Video Hearings service.

The Video Hearings service was developed as a bespoke, multi-functional service built specifically for court hearings as part of the HMCTS Reform programme. The service is designed to meet the specific needs of court and tribunal hearings and addresses some of the recommendations found in the report.

The Video Hearings service better reflects the formality of a court hearing and improves on the services used during the pandemic. For example, it provides virtual consultation rooms and built-in guidance for court users.

The decision to hold a remote hearing remains at the discretion of a judge who will decide if it is in the interests of justice. We’ll continue to support the judiciary to conduct hearings using their choice of remote and in-person hearings.

The Order grants development consent for this Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project comprising an Offshore Wind Farm (Power Station) – Maximum Capacity 1.8GW, also associated infrastructure required to export the electricity to the National Grid substation at Necton in Norfolk.   The application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration by Norfolk Boreas Limited on 11 June 2019 and accepted for examination on 04 July 2019. Following an examination during which the public, Statutory Consultees and Interested Parties were given the opportunity to give evidence to the Examining Authority, recommendations were made to the Secretary of State on 12 January 2021. 

 This is the 104th Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and 63rd energy application to have been examined by The Planning Inspectorate within the timescales laid down in the Planning Act 2008. 

 The Planning Inspectorate’s Chief Executive, Sarah Richards said: 

The Planning Inspectorate has examined more than 100 nationally significant infrastructure projects ensuring local communities had the opportunity of being involved in the examination of projects that may affect them. Local people, the local authority and other interested parties were able to participate in the examination. The Examining Authority listened and gave full consideration to local views and the evidence gathered during the examination before making their recommendations.

The decision, the recommendations made by the Examining Authority to the Secretary of State and the evidence considered by the Examining Authority in reaching its recommendations are publicly available on the project page of the National Infrastructure Planning website. 

Journalists wanting further information should contact the Planning  Inspectorate Press Office, on 0303 444 5004 or 0303 444 5005 or email: 

Press.office@planninginspectorate.gov.uk 

 Notes to editors:  The Planning Inspectorate’s National Infrastructure Programme of Projects details the proposals which are anticipated to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate as applications in the coming months.  

This statement provides an update on the AAIB investigation into an accident involving a DA40 N2, registration G-CTSB, at Cranfield Airport on 12 December 2020.

The aircraft stalled and struck the ground from a height of about of 100-200 ft immediately after takeoff. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was seriously injured in the accident. The investigation is nearing completion and the report will shortly be disseminated for consultation. Publication of the report is expected early in 2022.