Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Legal Aid Agency is taking to engage with local legal aid providers to increase legal aid provision.

It is vital that those who need legal aid—some of the most vulnerable people in our society—can access it wherever they live.

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) monitors provider numbers in each procurement area and across all categories of law. It takes operational action where it can, to respond to market pressures that may arise.

At a local level, LAA hold market engagement events to understand challenges to service delivery for particular categories of law, considering how it can remove any barriers or manage concerns which could deter providers from bidding for a legal aid contract.

The LAA consults with provider representative bodies on any proposed contractual changes, with the aim of incentivising legal aid work. Acting on feedback the LAA has made changes to reduce perceived barriers to holding contracts such as increasing the use of remote working, amending supervisor standards and introducing greater flexibility in office requirements.

Legal aid contracts are now offered on an ‘always on’ basis, meaning providers can apply at any time, not just during a fixed bidding window as before. This flexible approach lets new organisations join when ready and allows providers to grow their services. It removes strict deadlines and helps ensure services are widely available. The new crime contract lasts ten years, twice as long as before, making it easier for firms to plan ahead and reducing paperwork. These changes were brought in following considerable market engagement and have been widely welcomed.

The LAA works closely with the Ministry of Justice on policy solutions concerning the supply of legal aid. The Department recently closed a consultation on uplifts to civil legal aid fees. Once implemented, these changes would inject an additional £20 million into the sector each year, and is currently consulting on funding of up to £92 million more a year for criminal legal aid solicitors.