Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tom Brake and Lucy Frazer

Tuesday 12th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)]

13. What steps he is taking to improve access to justice in the criminal justice system.

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

I am very pleased to have an opportunity to highlight the important work that we are doing in the criminal justice system. Last year, we spent £882 million on criminal legal aid and this year we announced an investment of a further £23 million for criminal advocates. We are spending £1 billion to transform our Courts and Tribunals Service. However, improvements to the criminal justice system, as with the civil justice system, are not just about money and we are seeking to bring our justice system up to date, modernising it and making sure that people have swift and effective access to justice.

[Tom Brake]

The Loughborough University report “Priced out of Justice?” identified how many people were excluded from justice because of the means test. I welcome the review of the means test that the Government are conducting but, pending the outcome, would the Minister support calls from the Law Society for the means test threshold to be uprated now as part of the spring statement?

[Lucy Frazer]

As the right hon. Gentleman said, we have recently done a legal aid review. As part of that review, we were not obliged to look into thresholds because there were not very many changes to thresholds as part of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. However, we recognise the need to look at that because the figures have not been uprated for some time. We are undertaking that review and the timetable for that is set out in our legal support action plan.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tom Brake and Lucy Frazer

Tuesday 13th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Frazer]

As my hon. Friend has highlighted, a very effective and efficient measure is in the process of going through Parliament and it will enable judges to be deployed very effectively, to sit in other jurisdictions and to be used in the best possible way.

[Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)]

13. What steps he is taking to reduce reoffending rates.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tom Brake and Lucy Frazer

Tuesday 10th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)]

T3. While I understand why the Government are spending £7 million on installing in-cell telephones in prisons as part of a drive to improve rehabilitation, will the Government also look at whether there should perhaps be additional funding for the healthcare system within the court system? Ministers will be aware that Tony Fitzsimons, the chair of the Lay Observers National Council, has highlighted concerns that people are not getting the care that they need in courts. I am happy to write to the Minister about this issue.

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

I would be very grateful if the right hon. Gentleman could write to us. We are in the middle of a £1 billion court programme, which includes a number of things, such as technology and improving other services such as family rooms, where people can spend time with their families. We are looking at a number of things that I am very happy to talk to him about.