Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the availability of qualified legal aid solicitors for asylum seekers.

The Government is committed to ensuring that those seeking asylum in this country have access to publicly funded legal advice and representation. In 2021-22, we received over 35,000 applications for legal aid for asylum cases, spending over £32 million.

Access to legal aid is a key part of a fair immigration system, which is why we are spending around £8m expanding access to legal aid, helping victims of modern slavery, individuals prioritised for removal and individuals appealing an age assessment decision.

The Legal Aid Agency keeps market capacity under constant review and takes immediate action when gaps appear.