Ken Clarke has announced that the ban on filming in law courts is to be overturned. According to the Justice Secretary, Tuesday's decision was made in the hope of providing better public understanding of the legal process.
The government has come under increasing pressure from broadcasters to lift the ban, with today's decision paving the way for cameras to capture sentencing and judges remarks.
Clarke said: “The government and judiciary are determined to improve transparency and public understanding of court through allowing court broadcasting. We believe television has a role in increasing public confidence in the justice system.”
Filming will initially begin in the Court of Appeal, with cameras expected to the expanded the the Crown Court at a later date.
According to the Ministry of Justice, filming will be of judges’ summary remarks only. The victims, witnesses, offenders and jurors will not be filmed.
Legislation must be passed to allow cameras into the courts, which will also include published performance results, including court-by-court statistics for the time taken for cases to be processed, details on how many trials were ineffective and why they were ineffective and anonymised data on each case heard at local courts and the sentences given.
Details will also be released on how many people have been convicted or released from prisons in each area and how often they re-offended.
The move has been welcomed by Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary Sadiq Khan. He said: "Allowing the broadcast of judges' sentencing remarks could make the sentencing process more transparent and understandable."
“However it will be extremely important to ensure that careful controls are in place to protect jurors, victims and witnesses," he added. "We do not support the televising of anything that might make jurors, victims and witnesses vulnerable to intimidation. Our criminal justice system relies on victims and witnesses coming forward to give evidence and nothing should be done to jeopardise that.
“It is important that our justice system is open and accessible. If done well and responsibly, this could be an important step in achieving that.”
At least one solicitor has expressed concerns about the idea, however. Julian Young, a solicitor advocate who represents clients in higher courts, said that the proposal could put prisoners at risk.
"The general prison population can be very cruel towards other prisoners they may see as being weak," he told BBC News, and said that previous convictions or other information could put them in danger.
Young also warned against problems including misbehaviour in court.
"There are all sorts of dangers which have to be carefully examined and a balance obtained, and that balance is not an easy one because all you're concentrating on is the judge," he said.