Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lucy Frazer and Derek Thomas

Tuesday 8th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Frazer]

We recognise that there is more we can do in relation to probation, which is why we are changing the system, but “Transforming Rehabilitation” brought 40,000 people back into supervision, and we are ensuring that the new procedure will work well.

[Derek Thomas (St Ives) (Con)]

Good probation can be the means to transform young people’s lives and help to rehabilitate them in communities. We do not have a prison in Cornwall, but we have many people who are involved in this process. What can the Minister do to help those organisations to get the funds they need to support those young lives, so that they can play a full part in life?

[Lucy Frazer]

The new system will ensure that, while offender management is brought in-house, private sector innovation will be involved in providing unpaid work, and there will be a dynamic framework to enable new schemes and charities to bid to provide bespoke local services. I am happy to talk to my hon. Friend about what might be provided in Cornwall.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lucy Frazer and Derek Thomas

Tuesday 18th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Frazer]

The hon. Lady is right to identify the fact that dealing with housing issues is important. As at today’s date, there is at least one provider offering housing and debt services in all the 134 procurement areas except for seven, and the Legal Aid Agency is doing what it can to ensure that appropriate services are available in those seven areas. It is due to launch a further tender in areas where there is currently low access to services, and that tender will begin on 17 December.

[Derek Thomas (St Ives) (Con)]

Across Cornwall, access to a legal aid lawyer for housing and families is particularly difficult. I have raised that matter before. What can the Minister do to create a greater incentive for lawyers to take up that work?

[Lucy Frazer]

Cornwall is a sparsely populated area and there are difficulties there, but there is always access to the telephone service. It is right that we should look not only at face-to-face advice but at where technology can help to deliver legal advice to people.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lucy Frazer and Derek Thomas

Tuesday 23rd January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Derek Thomas (St Ives) (Con)]

3. What steps he is taking to ensure that legal aid is available to people who are entitled to that aid.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Lucy Frazer)]

The provision of legal aid to support the most vulnerable is an important part of our justice system. We spend £1.6 billion a year on legal aid, which is more than a fifth of the Ministry of Justice’s budget. In terms of accessing legal aid, there is an online tool at gov.uk to help people to check their entitlement to it.

[Derek Thomas]

I welcome that answer, but people in my constituency in west Cornwall find it hard to access the legal aid that they are entitled to. In fact, there is only one office there that holds a legal aid contract, and it deals only with family law. Will the Department assess how the changes in legal aid funding have affected rural people, and consider measures to address the shortage?