Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking with the Ministry of Justice to ensure that legal aid availability meets the needs of asylum seekers.

We are committed to delivering an asylum process which supports claimants in providing all information relevant to their claim to facilitate fair and sustainable asylum decisions. All interviewing personnel receive extensive training on interviewing and considering asylum claims, and must follow published Home Office policy guidance.

Legal aid remains available for individuals claiming asylum. The Lord Chancellor is also conducting a review of the recent legal aid reforms and the Home Office is inputting into this. The Government is keen to hear from interested parties to establish the impact of these changes, and the findings will be published later this year. The Government also plans to use this opportunity of engagement with stakeholders to inform its wider consideration on the future of legal support in the justice system.