Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the (a) cost effectiveness and (b) level of use of the Public Defender Service.

The Public Defender Service (PDS) plays a vital role in ensuring access to justice for those eligible clients who are unable to secure representation. The PDS also support positive change within the Criminal Justice System, assists the Ministry of Justice and Legal Aid Agency colleagues and acts as a test-bed for digital working. As such, the value of the PDS is made up of many factors, not just representation of defendants. Therefore no direct assessment of cost effectiveness or level of use has been made.