Oral Answers to Questions

Ben Spencer Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Gareth Bacon (Orpington) (Con)]

What steps his Department has taken to improve criminal legal aid provision.

[Dr Ben Spencer (Runnymede and Weybridge) (Con)]

What steps his Department has taken to improve criminal legal aid provision.

[James Daly (Bury North) (Con)]

What steps his Department has taken to improve criminal legal aid provision.

--- Later in debate ---

[Alex Chalk]

My hon. Friend raises an important point. We want criminal law and criminal defence to be an attractive, sustainable profession, which is why we put £23 million into the advocates’ graduated fee scheme last year, which can benefit solicitor advocates, and why we put, as the first wave of criminal legal aid, up to £51 million into the profession. It is a great and important job, and we want people to go into it.

[Dr Ben Spencer]

I thank the Minister for his answers. Equity of access to justice is a central tenet of the rule of law. Does he agree that is it essential not only that everyone who needs it has access to legal aid, but that it is set at a level that does not disincentivise lawyers from taking on legal aid cases?

[Alex Chalk]

My hon. Friend makes a crucial point. Anyone in this Chamber could be accused of a crime they have not committed, and we need to ensure that there are lawyers who can take on the cases, challenge the prosecution and evidence, and ensure that justice is done. That is why we have the criminal legal aid review, and we want to ensure that that independently led review secures a sustainable profession into the future, so that justice can be done in the future.