Courts and Tribunals Bill Report Stage: Amendment 18: how MPs voted on 13 October 2026
Division 78, 13 October 2026, 18:28. The Commons Votes API gives 89 Ayes, 312 Noes: majority 223 for the Noes.
The question
Clause 6
Increase in maximum custodial sentence in magistrates’ court
Amendment proposed: 18, page 17, line 18, at end insert—
“(9) After section 15 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, insert—
“15A Entitlement to Crown Court funding levels in certain proceedings in the Magistrates’ Court
(1) This section applies to criminal proceedings in a magistrates’ court where—
(a) an individual is charged with an either-way offence; and
(b) the court, having regard to the sentencing guidelines, considers it likely that a sentence of imprisonment exceeding 12 months will be imposed upon conviction.
(2) Where this section applies, any relevant representation order shall provide for remuneration at the same rates and under the same conditions as would apply if the proceedings were determined in the Crown Court.”—(Jess Brown-Fuller.)
This amendment links legal aid funding to the potential severity of the sentence rather than the venue of the trial. It ensures that defendants facing more than 12 months' imprisonment receive Crown Court level funding, regardless of which court the case is heard in.
Question put, That the amendment be made.
As printed in Hansard before the division.
By party
Liberal Democrat MPs cast 66 of the 88 named Aye votes; Labour MPs 307 of the 314 named No votes.
| Party | Aye (named) | No (named) |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 2 | 307 |
| Liberal Democrat | 66 | 0 |
| Independent | 7 | 1 |
| Democratic Unionist Party | 0 | 4 |
| Green Party | 4 | 0 |
| Plaid Cymru | 4 | 0 |
| Reform UK | 3 | 0 |
| Conservative | 1 | 0 |
| Traditional Unionist Voice | 0 | 1 |
| Ulster Unionist Party | 0 | 1 |
| Your Party | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 88 | 314 |
Tellers: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat, Carshalton and Wallington) and Mr Will Forster (Liberal Democrat, Woking) (Ayes); Gregor Poynton (Labour, Livingston) and Harpreet Uppal (Labour, Huddersfield) (Noes).
How each MP voted
402 named · CSV
Sources
- Bill: Courts and Tribunals Bill
- Hansard: Courts and Tribunals Bill
- Commons division 78
- Commons Votes API: division
c155531bf1ae220c15 October 2026 - Hansard API: division search
501988bfaf8b89cb15 October 2026 - Hansard API: debate
599532507523150015 October 2026
SHA-256 of each copy read. Open Parliament Licence v3.0