Fears have been shared over planned changes to the law that could hit court reporting.

The House of Lords has been warned that shoult it become law, the Judicial Review and Courts Bill will mean an end to many first appearances in the criminal courts, with the “consequential significant reduction in information provided to the media.”

The News Media Association last month joined with editors and publishers across the industry to voice concerns around the provisions in the Bill, which plans to move some proceedings out of open court and instead deal with them administratively.

It is feared such a move could leave the media with no knowledge of the existence of a “substantial” number of criminal cases at the time they are placed before a court.

Speaking in the debate, Labour peer Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede, pictured, said: “Concerns have been raised that the Bill could damage the principle of open justice and access to the courts’ information.

“As the Minister knows, this was raised with me only yesterday by the Guardian Media Group; I received a briefing on this matter, which I forwarded to him.

“I will not go through all the points that are raised in the briefing, but there is a concern that, if the Bill becomes law, it will mean an end to many first appearances in the criminal courts, with the consequential significant reduction in information provided to the media. Various examples are given in the briefing.

“Although the Minister pointed out in Committee that HMCTS has guidance on this matter, the reality is that there is nothing in the Bill that requires the steps in the guidance to be taken

“The purpose of these amendments is to encourage the Minister to give a fuller explanation of the way the media will get access to the courts.”