Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Victoria Collins and Sarah Sackman

Tuesday 8th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Victoria Collins (Harpenden and Berkhamsted) (LD)]

4. What steps she is taking to help provide access to legal aid to people in rural areas.

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Sarah Sackman)]

People must be able to access legal aid, regardless of where in the country they live, and this Government have made substantial new investments. On the civil side, in housing and immigration, we have announced uplifts worth £20 million; in respect of criminal law, criminal legal aid solicitors will receive an additional £92 million a year. The Legal Aid Agency works hard to ensure that the supply of, and access to, legal aid is secured across the whole of England and Wales.

[Victoria Collins]

From the lack of a rural crime strategy to reduced access to legal aid, our rural communities are being left behind. In Harpenden, one farm alone has reported 56 fly-tipping incidents in five years, with the injustice that the most recent incident is costing the farmer around £40,000. Proper legal support for victims of rural crime could make a world of difference, so how are the Government ensuring fair access for our rural communities, including face-to-face legal aid support?

[Sarah Sackman]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right that we need to ensure access to legal aid for those who live in rural areas. The Legal Aid Agency was satisfied that legal aid services across all categories are adequate in her constituency of Harpenden and Berkhamsted. Digital technology is transforming access to justice through remote consultations and Government-funded websites, such as Advicenow. I encourage her constituents to access legal aid through those means, as well as through local providers.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Victoria Collins and Sarah Sackman

Tuesday 3rd June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Victoria Collins (Harpenden and Berkhamsted) (LD)]

T10.   My constituent Charlotte—a victim of abuse herself—has long campaigned for justice through transcripts and highlights how they can help victims to move forward with their lives. How can we ensure that victims are provided with sentencing remarks even if the accused is acquitted in a rape case?

[Sarah Sackman]

The Ministry of Justice currently provides free sentencing remarks for victims of murder and manslaughter. As of last month, we have made permanent our pilot to provide those sentencing remarks to victims of rape. The hon. Lady will understand that providing full transcriptions is a costly exercise, which is why we are undertaking testing of artificial intelligence to make transcripts available in future in a lower-cost and timely manner.