Extended Family Guardianship Legal Aid 2023-05-16
2023-05-16
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The question arises from the need to ensure legal support for family members, particularly grandparents and close relatives, who seek guardianship of vulnerable children.
Whether the Government are taking steps to ensure that legal aid is available for extended family members who are seeking guardianship of vulnerable children. The government laid a statutory instrument in February this year which injects £5.6 million into the system annually.
We laid a family statutory instrument in February this year which, among other things, brings special guardianship orders in private law proceedings into the scope of legal aid, injecting a further £5.6 million a year into the system.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The question follows an initial query about legal aid for family members seeking guardianship and seeks to extend the discussion to a wider review.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that answer. The Government's announcement, which he outlined, of an additional £5.6 million for legal aid to support family members seeking guardianship of vulnerable children is extremely welcome. I would be grateful if he considered whether that could be part of a wider review of the rights of family members, specifically grandparents who are very often best placed to provide a loving home, care and support.
The rights of grandparents have risen up the agenda considerably over the last few years. Both colleagues who have spoken on this issue today, including my hon. Friend, make some valid points. I will give a commitment to discuss it with my colleague Lord Bellamy, who leads on this area, to see what further work we can do.
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Assessment & feedback
commitment is vague and lacks specific action or timeline
Will Give A Commitment
See What Further Work We Can Do
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The question addresses concerns about significant cuts to legal aid over the last decade, particularly in civil cases, and asks for a reversal of these policies.
These are not my words on the cuts to legal aid, but the words of the new Lord Chancellor: “There is now a serious concern that, without some steps to restore a measure of access to justice, serious injustice will inevitably follow.” Will the Minister heed the words of his new boss and reverse the devastating cuts to legal aid that his party has inflicted over the last decade?
This Government have continued to fund legal aid, with £1.2 billion on criminal and £813 million on civil. In the last few months, we have injected nearly £30 million into the civil part and some £13 million of that is legal aid for special guardianship orders.
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Assessment & feedback
question about reversing cuts, response discusses current funding
We Are Continuing To Fund
Injected Nearly £30 Million Into The Civil Part
Response accuracy