Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made or are aware of any assessment of the average cost of taking a case to the European Court of Human Rights; who bears those costs; and in what proportion of cases costs are incurred by (1) private concerns, and (2) the United Kingdom public purse.

The applicant has to pay the costs of making the application. However if the Court finds a violation against a state, it can then make an award of costs against the state as part of its judgment. The costs to the Government vary significantly depending on the complexity of the case.

Legal aid is not available from the UK for an application to the European Court of Human Rights. However, the European Court has its own legal aid scheme, to which the UK contributes via its national contribution to the costs of Court.