Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will reintroduce legal aid for refugee family reunion cases.

We have committed to lay legislation to bring non-asylum immigration matters into the scope of legal aid for separated migrant children.

Legal aid for family reunion may be available under the Exceptional Case Funding (ECF) scheme, where there is a breach or risk of breach of ECHR rights, and subject to means and merits tests. We recently committed to work with the Legal Aid Agency, legal practitioners and others to review and simplify the ECF application process and ensure that funding is provided in as timely a manner as possible.