Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that people on low incomes are able to access essential legal advice and support.

The Government’s reforms will modernise the courts and tribunal system and improve the experience of everyone who comes in to contact with it; particularly, and most importantly, for victims and witnesses. We need to make sure that the provision of legal support is also updated to reflect the new way in which the justice system will work.

We have already made sure that legal aid continues to be available in the most serious cases, for example where people’s life, liberty, or housing is at stake or where their children may be taken into care. The operation of, and expenditure on, the legal aid scheme is continually monitored by the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency.

We will, however, work closely with the legal sector; victims and witnesses and others to look across the board at the types of support needed in a modernised justice system.