Plans to include more detail in court listing in order to help journalists have been suggested by the UK Government.

The Ministry of Justice has touted the idea after launching a call for evidence on the future of open justice.

The review will be the Government’s first on the subject since 2012.

Mike Freer, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice, said in a consultation document that such a move could be beneficial to reporters, but warned there is not currently the “resource” to undertake such a move.

Mr Freer, pictured, said: “It has been suggested that a small outline of the nature of a case could be included in the listing, as this could help journalists decide which cases to attend and report on.

“The importance of listings being released in a timely manner to ensure that observers can contact courts with any queries has also been stressed. It has also been suggested that additional information such as reporting restrictions, court documents and results should be added to listings.

“The government recognises the benefits of increasing the detail and information available in published listings as this can help to further simplify and consolidate the way in which the media and public access information on court hearings.

“Doing so, however, will require careful consideration due to the varying rules and practices in each jurisdiction, governing what information can be made publicly available, how and where this information is held within justice systems, as well as considering the implications for information and data management.

“Establishing this functionality would also require considerable resource which is not currently within the scope of the HMCTS Reform Programme.”

More information on the consultation, which runs until 7 September, can be found here.