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He may be correct in saying that there is no jurisprudential basis for face to face hearings, but has not heard of human nature? Almost every example you can think of in history has had a process whereby people confront each other face to face. The same applies world wide today. How they do it has become regulated with rules of procedure but the fundamental process never changes, even in an inquisitorial system such as on the continent.
What is more worrying is who on earth at the MoJ recommended him as an expert. It's little wonder there is such a crisis throughout the profession if there are people at the top of the MoJ who are so utterly unaware of what is needed for a good court system to work and how the need for face to face encounters is absolutely crucial to a fair and successful means of delivering justice
Perhaps the time is long overdue for there to be a requirement on senior civil servants actually to spend time at the coal face of the courts before they start advising ministers. The rental housing list at Lambeth would be a good place to start.