The leaked plan does not apply to Scotland or Northern Ireland and was circulated to other departments before final Cabinet sign off. It goes further than recommendations earlier this year from retired Court of Appeal judge Sir Brian Leveson.
Speaking ahead of the announcement in Parliament, Lammy declined to confirm the final package, but said there would be an extra £550m over three years for specialist victim support services – and £34m aimed at attracting more barristers into criminal work.
“Juries remain and will always remain a fundamental part of our justice system and play a very, very important role the decision,” he said.
“[If] someone steals an iPhone from an electrical shop tomorrow – is it right that that individual should be able to opt for a jury?
“That case will be in the system, it will be two or three days in court, and therefore delay the rape, the murder, the more serious offence.
“In all of the decisions that we’re making, we are determined to put victims at the centre of the system and to balance those victims against the process.”