Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Legal Aid: Immigration Cases

Tuesday 26 March 2024 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government spent 44 million on immigration legal aid in 2022-23.
  • The hourly rate for immigration legal aid work has increased by 15%.
  • The Government is considering remote access and payment for travel to enhance legal aid availability.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chris Law SNP Dundee Central
Asylum & Refugees Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP is concerned about the underfunding and difficulties in accessing immigration legal aid, resulting in asylum seekers being denied representation. The MP cites a funding crisis.

Question

I am concerned about the adequacy of legal aid for immigration cases. Thousands of asylum seekers have effectively been denied the right to legal representation due to severe difficulty in accessing immigration legal aid. Why do the UK Government stand alone in not recognising this crisis?

Answer from Mike Freer

The Government spent £44 million on immigration legal aid in 12-23. The hourly rate for those undertaking this kind of work has been increased, and remote access and payment for travelling are being considered to raise the level of funding.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific issue of underfunding and difficulty accessing legal aid was not directly addressed.

How: I Refer The Hon. Gentleman To Scottishlegal.Com, Which Has Commented On How The Snp Has Decimated Legal Aid In Scotland.

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Q2 Chris Law SNP Dundee Central
Asylum & Refugees Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP discusses the inadequacy of immigration legal aid, citing a report by Scottishlegal.com on SNP's record in Scotland.

Question

While efforts to clear the asylum backlog are important, they must be well funded and ensure access to justice. However, thousands of asylum seekers have been denied legal representation due to under-resourced bureaucracy and rushed decisions. Why does the UK Government fail to recognise this crisis?

Answer from Mike Freer

We spent £44 million on immigration legal aid in 2022-23. The hourly rate for this work has increased by 15%, and we are considering remote access and payment for travelling to enhance availability of legal aid.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific issue of underfunding and difficulty accessing legal aid was not directly addressed.

How: I Refer The Hon. Gentleman To Scottishlegal.Com, Which Has Commented On How The Snp Has Decimated Legal Aid In Scotland.

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Q3 Chris Stephens SNP
Immigration Asylum & Refugees
Context

The MP highlights that asylum claimants often face multiple appeals due to poor or no legal representation, increasing costs and trapping vulnerable people in limbo.

Question

The Bar Council has highlighted the fact that asylum claimants with meritorious cases go through multiple appeals due to poor or no legal representation. This jacks up costs for courts, Home Office, and local authorities while trapping people in a limbo. If not addressing this crisis because it is the right thing to do, will they do so because it is financially sound?

Answer from Mike Freer

We are increasing fees for those taking on legal aid work under the Illegal Migration Act 2023 by 15% and rolling out remote access and payment for travel. These steps ensure availability of legal aid, which I do not accept as a crisis.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific issue of underfunding and difficulty accessing legal aid was not directly addressed.

How: I Can Quote The Scottish Bar Council'S Views On The Snp'S Record.

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