Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of reinstating legal aid for early advice in family law cases.

Legal aid for private family law cases in England and Wales was mainly removed from scope by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). However, legal aid is still available for some private family cases including mediation and for victims, and those at risk, of domestic abuse.

The Lord Chancellor has confirmed that we shall conduct an evidence-based review of Part 1 of LASPO, assessing the changes against their objectives. This review will include changes made to provision of legal aid for private family law cases.