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1186954

	registered interest
	date	23/03/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to review the eligibility for legal aid.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	33519
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2020 answer text <p>The Government announced a review of the legal aid means test on 7 February 2019, as part of the Legal Support Action Plan.</p><p> </p><p>The review is in progress, bringing together data, evidence and expertise, and liaising with experts from across the field to explore potential improvements to the system.</p><p> </p><p>The review is considering the full range of means-testing criteria, including the applicable thresholds for legal aid entitlement and their interaction with wider criteria.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 31/03/2020 12:37:40 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1469597

	registered interest
	date	13/06/2022
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the income threshold for eligibility for legal aid, in the context of increases in the cost of living.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	16942
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2022 answer text <p>In February 2019, the Government announced a comprehensive review of the legal aid means test, which resulted in a consultation that ran from 15 March to 7 June 2022.</p><p> </p><p>We are in the process of considering stakeholder responses to the proposals within the consultation, which include raising certain income thresholds, uprating the Cost of Living Allowance for legal aid at the Crown Court and magistrates’ court, and introducing a Cost of Living Allowance for the civil legal aid means test. The Government aims to publish its final response in the Autumn.</p> answering member constituency South Suffolk answering member printed James Cartlidge question first answered 20/06/2022 15:08:09 answering member 4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1086485

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect on justice of the limit on what can be paid through the Legal Aid Agency for experts’ reports in criminal cases.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	230741
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2019 answer text <p>We must continue to ensure that every aspect of fee remuneration represents value for money for the taxpayer. This includes the fees currently paid to experts.</p><p> </p><p>However, we recognise that in some specific areas, it is necessary to pay a particular level of rates to secure the necessary expertise. Therefore, the rates for some specific expert types vary, based on the nature of the expertise. Furthermore, solicitors can apply for higher expert fees under exceptional circumstances in cases where an expert’s evidence is key to the client’s case, and where either an expert with a high degree of seniority is required due to the complexity of the material, or the material is of a specialised and unusual nature that only very few experts are available to provide the necessary evidence.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 18/03/2019 16:37:46 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1086484

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the continued viability of the criminal legal aid sector while his review of criminal legal aid fees is ongoing.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	230740
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government is clear that there are sufficient solicitors and barristers to undertake criminal legal aid-funded cases and will make sure this continues to be the case. The Legal Aid Agency monitors capacity across criminal legal aid contracts on an ongoing basis. Where issues are identified, the LAA takes action to ensure there is ongoing availability of criminal legal advice for the public. Last year we spent £1.6bn on legal aid, with more than half on criminal legal aid.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 18/03/2019 16:36:55 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1086483

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, who his Department is consulting with as part of its review into criminal legal aid fees.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	230739
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2019 answer text <p>We will be working with a range of agencies and stakeholders – and the criminal defence profession in particular – to gather the necessary evidence to ensure this review is as robust and wide-ranging as possible.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently scoping the review and are already working with the professions to determine the specific issues that the review should consider. A defence practitioner advisory panel has been established to ensure practitioners’ views are carefully considered as part of the review.</p><p> </p><p>This includes representatives from the:</p><ul><li>Bar Council</li><li>Bar Council Young Barristers' Committee</li><li>Big Firms’ Group</li><li>Chartered Institute of Legal Executives</li><li>Bar Circuit Leaders</li><li>Criminal Bar Association</li><li>Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association</li><li>Law Society</li><li>Law Society Junior Lawyers Division</li><li>Legal Aid Practitioners Group</li><li>London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association</li><li>Public Defender Service</li><li>Solicitors’ Association of Higher Court Advocates</li><li>Young Legal Aid Lawyers</li></ul><p> </p><p>We will also engage with wider stakeholders, including relevant experts and user engagement groups.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 18/03/2019 16:31:49 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1086482

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of low remuneration rates for criminal solicitors on recruitment to the profession.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	230738
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2019 answer text <p>Defence solicitors carry out valuable work and we are determined to ensure publicly-funded criminal defence work remains a sustainable and attractive profession.</p><p> </p><p>That is why a fundamental review of criminal legal aid fee schemes is currently underway. This will go far beyond our previous proposals, including pre-charge advice at the police station, advice and advocacy services in the Magistrates’ Court, and litigation and advocacy services in the Crown Court, and will report back by the end of Summer 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) monitors capacity across criminal legal aid contracts on a regular basis and takes action to ensure there is ongoing availability of criminal legal advice for the public. Last year we spent £1.6bn on legal aid, with more than half on criminal legal aid.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 18/03/2019 16:19:55 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1086481

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when criminal legal aid remuneration rates were last raised in real terms for legal professionals.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	230737
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2019 answer text <p>Criminal defence lawyers play a crucial role in upholding the rule of law and the Government greatly values their contribution.</p><p> </p><p>Last year we spent £1.6bn on legal aid, with more than half on criminal legal aid. In addition, following consultation with the profession, we increased overall funding of the Advocates Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) by £23m and brought forward a 1% increase in fees which came into effect along with the new scheme on 31 December 2018. This represents a 10% increase on AGFS spend in 2016-17.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, we are conducting a fundamental review of criminal legal aid fee schemes, which will report back by the end of Summer 2020. This will go far beyond our previous proposals, including pre-charge advice at the police station, advice and advocacy services in the Magistrates’ Court, and litigation and advocacy services in the Crown Court.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 18/03/2019 16:17:14 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1611644

	registered interest
	date	18/04/2023
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will consider the potential merits of introducing a sliding scale for eligibility for legal aid.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	181188
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2023 answer text <p>The Government is currently undertaking a review of legal aid means testing across England and Wales and will publish its response in due course. The review sets out proposals for means testing in the round, including the thresholds for legal aid entitlement and the eligibility arrangements for those receiving welfare benefits <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/legal-aid-means-test-review" target="_blank">Legal Aid Means Test Review - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>. Legal aid remains a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and issues related to both the policy and delivery of such services fall to the Department of Justice for Northern Ireland and the Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland.</p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer question first answered 26/04/2023 14:15:33 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1129868

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Government has plans to review the means testing aspect of legal aid funding.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	260000
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government announced that it will be conducting a review into Legal Aid Means Testing in its legal Support Action Plan, published on 7 February 2019. The review of the legal aid eligibility regime will study the thresholds for legal aid entitlement and assess the effectiveness with which the means testing arrangements appropriately protect access to justice, particularly with respect to those who are vulnerable.</p><p>The comprehensive review of the legal aid eligibility regime is expected to conclude by Summer 2020.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 10/06/2019 16:20:44 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1172007

	registered interest
	date	20/01/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will include women unable to afford a divorce without access to legal aid as part of his Department's review of the financial eligibility thresholds for people seeking legal aid.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	5419
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>The Legal Support Action Plan (published in February 2019) announced a review of the legal aid means tests for England and Wales, which is currently underway and expected to conclude in Summer 2020 with a public consultation on potential policy changes to follow.</p><p>The Means Test Review is considering the thresholds for legal aid entitlement and their interaction with the wider eligibility criteria and is assessing the effectiveness with which the civil and criminal means tests protect access to justice, particularly for those who are vulnerable, such as victims of domestic abuse.</p><p>Divorce proceedings are not usually in scope for legal aid, other than when there is evidence of domestic abuse or child abuse. The Means Test Review is not considering changes to what is in scope for legal aid, however some divorce cases may qualify for legal aid under the existing Exceptional Funding Scheme, where there is a breach (or a risk of breach) of the individual’s human rights.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, The Family Legal Team at Royal Courts of Justice Advice provide free and confidential legal advice to anyone in England and Wales who is not able to afford a solicitor. Litigants who feel they cannot afford the tribunal fee for their divorce proceeding may apply to the Ministry of Justice fee remissions scheme: Help with Fees.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 28/01/2020 13:41:39 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon