Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the total cost of legal aid in England and Wales in the last five years.
The total expenditure under the legal aid scheme in the last five years is set out in the table attached.
This data is sourced from the Legal Aid Agency’s (LAA) official statistics which are published on a quarterly basis.
Expenditure in financial year 2020/21 was reduced due to the impact of COVID-19.
Full financial statements including operating costs are published in the Legal Aid Agency's Annual Report and Accounts.