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1166738
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-10-28more like thismore than 2019-10-28
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Prisoners: Suicide more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have taken their own life whilst serving a sentence of imprisonment for public protection in each year since 2010. more like this
tabling member constituency Cardiff Central more like this
tabling member printed
Jo Stevens remove filter
uin 6426 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-10-31more like thismore than 2019-10-31
answer text <p>The most recent published data about self-inflicted deaths in custody includes figures up to the end of the 2018, broken down by type of sentence. It is in table 1.11 of <em>Deaths in prison custody 1978 to 2018</em>, which can be seen at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-september-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-september-2018</a>. However, we have recently identified possible errors in the published data. I will write to the Hon Member with updated figures when they are available, and ensure that the next issue of data includes corrected figures.</p><p> </p><p>Every death in custody is a tragedy, and we are committed to learning lessons from these deaths wherever possible. Most of the deaths were from natural causes but some were self-inflicted, and the Government is taking unprecedented action to improve safety in prisons, including redoubling our efforts to prevent such deaths. We have recruited over 4,700 more prison officers since October 2016, and we now have the greatest number in post since early 2012. This is allowing us to implement the key worker role, providing staff dedicated time to support individual prisoners.</p><p> </p><p>We are improving support for prisoners in their early days in custody and developing a new version of the multi-disciplinary ACCT case management process for those at risk of suicide. We have rolled out a revised and improved Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention course. This is being completed by all new staff and as refresher training by all existing staff. Nearly 25,000 staff have already begun this training and over 14,000 have completed all six modules.</p><p> </p><p>While we are focused on giving all prisoners serving IPP sentences opportunities to progress towards release, public protection must remain our priority. A range of initiatives are in place, as part of the joint action plan, co-owned by HM Prison and Probation Service and the Parole Board, which are having a positive impact on the progression of those serving an IPP sentence.</p>
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire remove filter
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-10-31T17:41:58.187Zmore like thismore than 2019-10-31T17:41:58.187Z
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
tabling member
4425
label Biography information for Jo Stevens more like this
1166742
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-10-28more like thismore than 2019-10-28
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Prisoners: Suicide more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners that were recalled to prison to serve a sentence of imprisonment for public protection have taken their own life since 2010. more like this
tabling member constituency Cardiff Central more like this
tabling member printed
Jo Stevens remove filter
uin 6427 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-11-05more like thismore than 2019-11-05
answer text <p>I regret that it is not yet possible to answer this question, because we have recently found that some indeterminate sentences for public protection may have been wrongly recorded as determinate. This may require amendments to the published data. I will write to the Hon Member with updated figures when they are available, and ensure that the next issue of data includes corrected figures.</p> more like this
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire remove filter
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
question first answered
remove maximum value filtermore like thismore than 2019-11-05T14:26:41.323Z
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
tabling member
4425
label Biography information for Jo Stevens more like this
1166745
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-10-28more like thismore than 2019-10-28
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Mentally Disordered Offenders more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners serving a sentence of imprisonment for public protection have served (a) all and (b) part of their sentence at (i) Ashworth, (ii) Broadmoor and (iii) Rampton High Security Psychiatric Hospitals in each of the year since 2010. more like this
tabling member constituency Cardiff Central more like this
tabling member printed
Jo Stevens remove filter
uin 6428 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-10-31more like thismore than 2019-10-31
answer text <p>It is not possible to provide the information requested, as it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The number of transferred prisoners serving a sentence of imprisonment for public protection who were detained under sections 47/49 of the Mental Health Act 1983 at each of the High Secure Hospitals as at 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2018 is set out below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>IPPs detained under the MHA as of 31st Dec</p></td><td><p>Ashworth</p></td><td><p>Broadmoor</p></td><td><p>Rampton</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>21</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>20</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>27</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>28</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>21</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>23</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>31</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>19</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>26</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p>
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire remove filter
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-10-31T17:42:26.103Zmore like thismore than 2019-10-31T17:42:26.103Z
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
tabling member
4425
label Biography information for Jo Stevens more like this
1138100
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-07-10more like thismore than 2019-07-10
answering body
Attorney General more like this
answering dept id 88 more like this
answering dept short name Attorney General more like this
answering dept sort name Attorney General more like this
hansard heading Coroners: Government Departments more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Attorney General, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of (a) legal advice and (b) representation at inquests for Government Departments in each year since 2010. more like this
tabling member constituency Cardiff Central more like this
tabling member printed
Jo Stevens remove filter
uin 275781 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-07-16more like thismore than 2019-07-16
answer text <p>The table below sets out the total amounts billed by the Government Legal Department (GLD) Litigation Group in relation to inquests in which they have been instructed by Government Departments and other public bodies.</p><p>GLD represents most, but not all, Government Departments in litigation. In addition, during parts of the period covered by the table, a small number of Departments (that GLD now acts for in litigation) handled their own litigation (including inquests).</p><p>The amounts are set out by financial year from 2010-11 and are exclusive of VAT. It is not possible to provide a separate breakdown of the totals by reference to legal advice and representation.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>2010-11</p><p>2011-12</p><p>2012-13</p><p>2013-14</p><p>2014-15</p><p>2015-16</p><p>2016-17</p><p>2017-18</p><p>2018-19</p></td><td><p>£2,600,951</p><p>£2,476,100</p><p>£2,621,377</p><p>£3,575,348</p><p>£3,405,809</p><p>£3,883,929</p><p>£4,283,521</p><p>£4,851,059</p><p>£5,783,648</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire remove filter
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-07-16T14:21:58.477Zmore like thismore than 2019-07-16T14:21:58.477Z
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
previous answer version
129156
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire more like this
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
tabling member
4425
label Biography information for Jo Stevens more like this
1109231
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-04-02more like thismore than 2019-04-02
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Legal Aid Scheme: Wales more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the availability of solicitors qualified to conduct Criminal Legal Aid work in rural Wales. more like this
tabling member constituency Cardiff Central more like this
tabling member printed
Jo Stevens remove filter
uin 240032 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-04-09more like thismore than 2019-04-09
answer text <p>The Lord Chancellor (via the Legal Aid Agency) has a duty to ensure that qualifying individuals who require assistance at the police station or the magistrates’ courts and who do not have their own solicitor have access to a Duty Solicitor. The LAA monitors capacity in each duty scheme area based on the number of solicitor organisations in that area, as well as the proportion of duty solicitors each of those organisations engages. There are currently 126 offices contracted to deliver criminal legal aid services in the Wales area. Additionally, across the 16 areas which make up the Duty Solicitor scheme in Wales, there are 260 solicitors listed on the rota who are available to provide advice and assistance. We are confident we have solicitors to fulfil criminal cases and will make sure we continue to do so.</p><p> </p><p>The Legal Aid Agency monitors access to public funding according to the location of the solicitor providing the service. Client location is not reliably captured for the majority of the criminal legal aid scheme and therefore accurate data based on a defendant’s residence is not available. Information on expenditure under criminal legal aid by solicitor offices located in Wales is proactively published, and is available to view at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720217/legal-aid-statistics-crime-provider-area-data-to-mar-2018.ods" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720217/legal-aid-statistics-crime-provider-area-data-to-mar-2018.ods</a>.</p>
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire remove filter
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
grouped question UIN 240033 more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-04-09T14:56:07.313Zmore like thismore than 2019-04-09T14:56:07.313Z
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
previous answer version
112749
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire more like this
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
tabling member
4425
label Biography information for Jo Stevens more like this
1109233
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-04-02more like thismore than 2019-04-02
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Legal Aid Scheme: Wales more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total amount spent on Criminal Legal Aid was in cases in which the defendant’s place of abode was in Wales in each of the last five years. more like this
tabling member constituency Cardiff Central more like this
tabling member printed
Jo Stevens remove filter
uin 240033 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-04-09more like thismore than 2019-04-09
answer text <p>The Lord Chancellor (via the Legal Aid Agency) has a duty to ensure that qualifying individuals who require assistance at the police station or the magistrates’ courts and who do not have their own solicitor have access to a Duty Solicitor. The LAA monitors capacity in each duty scheme area based on the number of solicitor organisations in that area, as well as the proportion of duty solicitors each of those organisations engages. There are currently 126 offices contracted to deliver criminal legal aid services in the Wales area. Additionally, across the 16 areas which make up the Duty Solicitor scheme in Wales, there are 260 solicitors listed on the rota who are available to provide advice and assistance. We are confident we have solicitors to fulfil criminal cases and will make sure we continue to do so.</p><p> </p><p>The Legal Aid Agency monitors access to public funding according to the location of the solicitor providing the service. Client location is not reliably captured for the majority of the criminal legal aid scheme and therefore accurate data based on a defendant’s residence is not available. Information on expenditure under criminal legal aid by solicitor offices located in Wales is proactively published, and is available to view at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720217/legal-aid-statistics-crime-provider-area-data-to-mar-2018.ods" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720217/legal-aid-statistics-crime-provider-area-data-to-mar-2018.ods</a>.</p>
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire remove filter
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
grouped question UIN 240032 more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-04-09T14:56:07.377Zmore like thismore than 2019-04-09T14:56:07.377Z
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
previous answer version
112740
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire more like this
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
tabling member
4425
label Biography information for Jo Stevens more like this
1109234
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-04-02more like thismore than 2019-04-02
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Legal Representation: Wales more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people represented themselves at (a) magistrates and (b) Crown courts in Wales in each of the last five years. more like this
tabling member constituency Cardiff Central more like this
tabling member printed
Jo Stevens remove filter
uin 240034 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-04-09more like thismore than 2019-04-09
answer text <p>The Department publishes County Court, Family Court and Crown Court figures on defendants or parties with no (or unknown) representation. These data do not represent the number of litigants in person, however, because a party may be without representation for only part of a case. Information on unrepresented defendants in Magistrates’ Courts is not held centrally.</p><p>The Ministry of Justice holds data on representation status at (a) first hearing and (b) any hearing for defendants dealt with in the Crown Court, and the latest available data is published here for England and Wales combined: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-annual-january-to-march-2018. Data specifically for Wales is shown in the following tables.</p><p><strong>Representation status, at first hearing, of defendants dealt with in the Crown Court, Wales, annually 2014 - 2017</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="3"><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Total number <br> of defendants</strong></p></td><td colspan="4"><p><strong>Representation status at first hearing</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Known represention<sup>1</sup></strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>No advocate representation/ unknown<sup>2</sup></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Number</p></td><td><p>Number</p></td><td><p>Percentage</p></td><td><p>Number</p></td><td><p>Percentage</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p><strong>5,368</strong></p></td><td><p>5,175</p></td><td><p><em>96%</em></p></td><td><p>193</p></td><td><p><em>4%</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p><strong>5,677</strong></p></td><td><p>5,433</p></td><td><p><em>96%</em></p></td><td><p>244</p></td><td><p><em>4%</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p><strong>4,759</strong></p></td><td><p>4,587</p></td><td><p><em>96%</em></p></td><td><p>172</p></td><td><p><em>4%</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p><strong>4,343</strong></p></td><td><p>4,244</p></td><td><p><em>98%</em></p></td><td><p>99</p></td><td><p><em>2%</em></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong>Representation status, any hearing, of defendants dealt with in the Crown Court, Wales, annually 2014 – 2017</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="3"><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Total number <br> of defendants</strong></p></td><td colspan="4"><p><strong>Representation status at any hearing<sup>3</sup></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Known represention<sup>4</sup></strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>No advocate representation/ unknown<sup>5</sup></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Number</p></td><td><p>Number</p></td><td><p>Percentage</p></td><td><p>Number</p></td><td><p>Percentage</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p><strong>5,368</strong></p></td><td><p>5,351</p></td><td><p>100%</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p><strong>5,677</strong></p></td><td><p>5,655</p></td><td><p>100%</p></td><td><p>22</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p><strong>4,759</strong></p></td><td><p>4,729</p></td><td><p>99%</p></td><td><p>30</p></td><td><p>1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p><strong>4,343</strong></p></td><td><p>4,313</p></td><td><p>99%</p></td><td><p>30</p></td><td><p>1%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Notes</p><p>1) Includes defendants who were known to be represented by an advocate or solicitor at first hearing.</p><p>2) Includes defendants who did not have an advocate recorded at the first hearing and defendants whose advocate representation was unknown.</p><p>3) These figures do not indicate how many hearings, within a trial, had representation.</p><p>4) Includes defendants who were known to be represented by an advocate or solicitor at any hearing.</p><p>5) Includes defendants who did not have an advocate recorded at any hearing and defendants whose advocate representation was unknown.</p>
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire remove filter
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-04-09T15:06:41.69Zmore like thismore than 2019-04-09T15:06:41.69Z
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
previous answer version
112741
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire more like this
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
tabling member
4425
label Biography information for Jo Stevens more like this
1108786
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-04-01more like thismore than 2019-04-01
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Legal Aid Scheme more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the number of solicitors’ firms accepting Criminal Legal Aid cases in the last five years. more like this
tabling member constituency Cardiff Central more like this
tabling member printed
Jo Stevens remove filter
uin 239262 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-04-04more like thismore than 2019-04-04
answer text <p>Based on the most recent data available, the table below shows how many firms (and where a firm has multiple branches, the total number of offices) were active in any given year providing legal aid services in criminal matters.</p><p> </p><p>Numbers of both firms and offices have fluctuated due to a number of factors, including mergers and acquisitions, trends in the rates of criminal offending, and the impact of other policies and market conditions.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>2018/19</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Firms</p></td><td><p>1,861</p></td><td><p>1,722</p></td><td><p>1,656</p></td><td><p>1,603</p></td><td><p>1,517</p></td><td><p>1,512</p></td><td><p>1,388</p></td><td><p>1,314</p></td><td><p>1,271</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Offices</p></td><td><p>2,598</p></td><td><p>2,415</p></td><td><p>2,338</p></td><td><p>2,282</p></td><td><p>2,172</p></td><td><p>2,240</p></td><td><p>1,991</p></td><td><p>1,998</p></td><td><p>1,921</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The Legal Aid Agency measures capacity according to the type of scheme in question. For criminal legal aid, all Criminal Justice System Areas over England and Wales have firms of solicitors operating under a criminal legal aid contract, in addition to approximately 250 Duty Solicitor schemes providing advice and representation in Police Stations and Magistrates courts. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) 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.</p><p> </p><p>For civil legal aid, there is at least one firm operating in each ‘Procurement Area’ providing services in every category of law, save for the ‘Housing and Debt’ category. Of the 134 Procurement Areas for this category, 4 do not currently have a provider holding a Housing and Debt contract, representing over 97% coverage across England and Wales. The Legal Aid Agency has since undertaken a further tender to secure provision in the remaining areas. In addition to the Civil Legal Advice Telephone Service, offering legal services in a range of issues to those who need it, we are establishing a £5m innovation fund to help people access legal support wherever they are in England and Wales.</p>
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire remove filter
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
grouped question UIN 239263 more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-04-04T16:36:17.707Zmore like thismore than 2019-04-04T16:36:17.707Z
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
tabling member
4425
label Biography information for Jo Stevens more like this
1108787
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-04-01more like thismore than 2019-04-01
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Administration of Justice: Rural Areas more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the ability of people living in rural areas to access justice. more like this
tabling member constituency Cardiff Central more like this
tabling member printed
Jo Stevens remove filter
uin 239263 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-04-04more like thismore than 2019-04-04
answer text <p>Based on the most recent data available, the table below shows how many firms (and where a firm has multiple branches, the total number of offices) were active in any given year providing legal aid services in criminal matters.</p><p> </p><p>Numbers of both firms and offices have fluctuated due to a number of factors, including mergers and acquisitions, trends in the rates of criminal offending, and the impact of other policies and market conditions.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>2018/19</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Firms</p></td><td><p>1,861</p></td><td><p>1,722</p></td><td><p>1,656</p></td><td><p>1,603</p></td><td><p>1,517</p></td><td><p>1,512</p></td><td><p>1,388</p></td><td><p>1,314</p></td><td><p>1,271</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Offices</p></td><td><p>2,598</p></td><td><p>2,415</p></td><td><p>2,338</p></td><td><p>2,282</p></td><td><p>2,172</p></td><td><p>2,240</p></td><td><p>1,991</p></td><td><p>1,998</p></td><td><p>1,921</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The Legal Aid Agency measures capacity according to the type of scheme in question. For criminal legal aid, all Criminal Justice System Areas over England and Wales have firms of solicitors operating under a criminal legal aid contract, in addition to approximately 250 Duty Solicitor schemes providing advice and representation in Police Stations and Magistrates courts. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) 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.</p><p> </p><p>For civil legal aid, there is at least one firm operating in each ‘Procurement Area’ providing services in every category of law, save for the ‘Housing and Debt’ category. Of the 134 Procurement Areas for this category, 4 do not currently have a provider holding a Housing and Debt contract, representing over 97% coverage across England and Wales. The Legal Aid Agency has since undertaken a further tender to secure provision in the remaining areas. In addition to the Civil Legal Advice Telephone Service, offering legal services in a range of issues to those who need it, we are establishing a £5m innovation fund to help people access legal support wherever they are in England and Wales.</p>
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire remove filter
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
grouped question UIN 239262 more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-04-04T16:36:17.77Zmore like thismore than 2019-04-04T16:36:17.77Z
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
tabling member
4425
label Biography information for Jo Stevens more like this
1050626
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-01-29more like thismore than 2019-01-29
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Magistrates' Courts: Closures more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of magistrates’ court closures on access to justice. more like this
tabling member constituency Cardiff Central more like this
tabling member printed
Jo Stevens remove filter
uin 214135 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-02-07more like thismore than 2019-02-07
answer text <p>The decision to close a court is never taken lightly. In the case of each magistrates’ court closure, we undertook a public consultation exercise and considered the responses we received very carefully. The Lord Chancellor only agreed to close the court when satisfied that effective access to justice would be maintained when the court closed.</p><p> </p> more like this
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire remove filter
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-02-07T17:42:08.707Zmore like thismore than 2019-02-07T17:42:08.707Z
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
previous answer version
99519
answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire more like this
answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
answering member
4517
label Biography information for Lucy Frazer more like this
tabling member
4425
label Biography information for Jo Stevens more like this