To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been paid in legal aid fees over the
last five years to law firms Public Interest Lawyers and Leigh Day to conduct cases
alleging abuse by British soldiers.
<p>The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) cannot separately identify legal aid cases for those
Iraqis alleging abuse by British Soldiers without disproportionate costs. Legal aid
cases are not systematically recorded against nationality or cause of action.</p><p>
</p><p>Leigh Day have not acted under legal aid in these types of cases. Public Interest
Lawyers have acted for Iraqi clients under legal aid in cases seeking investigations
into deaths and mistreatment.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The net payments to Public Interest
Lawyers over the past five years were:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Amount</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008/09</p></td><td><p>£628,527.75</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>£267,433.88</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>£439,268.02</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>£331,238.85</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>£54,387.48</p><p>
</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>These payments cover all work undertaken by the firm
under legal aid. The payments made will be offset by recoupment on successful cases
where the opponent has paid the costs.</p>
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to take steps to recover legal aid
payments to the firm Public Interest Lawyers following their statement on 20 March
that there was no evidence that British soldiers had murdered 20 Iraqis.
<p>Legal aid is not funding the Al-Sweady Inquiry. There are therefore no plans to
recover payments made from legal aid to Public Interest Lawyers following their statement
on 20 March.</p><p> </p><p>On 20 March, at the Al-Sweady Inquiry into the most serious
allegations against British soldiers in the Iraq War, lawyers representing Iraqi families
withdrew their claim that the troops had killed unarmed civilians they had captured
and brought back to an army base.</p><p> </p><p>The inquiry continues and the statement
on 20 March does not mean that the inquiry has been abandoned.</p><p> </p><p>Legal
aid was provided for an action prior to the Inquiry. Legal aid was provided to Iraqi
applicants to seek an independent and effective investigation into deaths and torture
or inhumane and degrading treatment in relation to the incident at checkpoint Danny
Boy in Iraq in May 2004. As a result of these proceedings, the Secretary of State
for Defence decided to hold the Al-Sweady Inquiry. This action was therefore successful
in its aim.</p><p> </p><p>The Inquiry is not yet complete and the Chairman's report
is not due to be published until later in the year. Public Interest Lawyers's statement
refers to part only of the allegations made and the Ministry of Justice awaits the
Inquiry Report before commenting further.</p><p> </p>
<p>There are no plans to investigate the firms as they are not funded under the legal
aid regulations or their contract with the Lord Chancellor in the Al-Sweady inquiry.
It would not be reasonable to investigate the firms under their contract in relation
to a matter arising outside their contract.</p>
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether migrants detained in HM Prison The Verne from
24 March will have access to (1) Rule 35 procedures to determine whether their health
would be damaged by detention, for example, due to a history of torture, (2) mobile
telephones and the internet, (3) the ability to receive telephone calls from solicitors,
family and friends, and (4) on-site legal advice surgeries; and if not, why not.
<p> </p><p> </p><p>HM Prison The Verne started taking immigration detainees as scheduled
from 24 March 2014. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) will retain The
Verne as a prison in the short term. Its designation as a prison will be reviewed
later this year, with the intention of completing the re-designation to an immigration
removal centre by the end of September 2014.</p><p> </p><p>While The Verne retains
its designation as a prison it will be governed by Prison Rules rather than Detention
Centre Rules. As The Verne is not governed by Detention Centre Rules, Rule 35 of those
rules is not applicable.</p><p> </p><p>Detainees held at The Verne will be treated
in the same way as other detainees held within the prison estate. As such they will
not have access to mobile telephones or the internet, nor will they be able to receive
telephone calls. They will, however, be able to make telephone calls and will have
access to both social and legal visits.</p><p> </p><p>There is a dedicated Home Office
Immigration Enforcement Team on site who will see detainees routinely on induction
and upon request. In addition, independent immigration advice will be provided by
Migrant Help.</p>