Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Legal Aid

Tuesday 16 December 2025 · 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

  • John Milne asked the relevant Minister to meet regarding a constituent denied access to justice due to financial constraints.
  • Andy Slaughter raised concerns about the dire position of civil and family legal aid, noting fees are now roughly half of what they were 28 years ago.
  • Jess Brown-Fuller highlighted that in 2024, 39% of family court proceedings lacked legal representation for either party, impacting victims of domestic abuse particularly.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 John Milne Lib Dem Horsham
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

A constituent is being denied access to justice due to inability to afford action against a publicly funded body under Competition and Markets Authority legislation.

Question

My constituent Steve is currently being denied access to justice because he cannot afford to take action against a publicly funded body under Competition and Markets Authority legislation. His only other option is to proceed on a no win, no fee basis. Will the relevant Minister agree to meet me and Steve to discuss possible solutions?

Answer from David Lammy (The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice)

I ask the hon. Gentleman to write to me first, as it sounds like there is some technical detail in that case. If necessary, I will then ask the relevant Minister to meet him.

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Q2 Andy Slaughter Lab Hammersmith and Chiswick
Justice & Courts
Context

The Select Committee is conducting an inquiry into access to justice with evidence suggesting that civil and family legal aid are inadequate.

Question

The Select Committee has just begun an inquiry into access to justice. The evidence we are getting suggests that civil and family legal aid in particular are in a dire position, with fees now approximately half what they were 28 years ago. There have been welcome increases in housing and immigration fees, but what wider plans does the Secretary of State have to review legal aid fees, particularly in the area of civil and family law?

Answer from David Lammy (The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice)

My hon. Friend will recognise that the uplift of £20 million in housing and immigration is significant; it is actually the first major uplift in his and my time here in Parliament. He is right that we should look across the piece at civil legal aid, combined with what is happening in our courts, and I will continue to do that over this next period.

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Q3 Jess Brown-Fuller Lib Dem Chichester
Children & Families
Context

In family court proceedings, 39% involved neither party being legally represented; in cases of domestic abuse, this forces victims to relive their experiences and confront trauma repeatedly.

Question

My question follows on from that of the Chair of the Select Committee. In 2024, 39% of family court proceedings involved neither party being legally represented; in cases of domestic abuse, this forces victims to relive their experiences and confront their trauma repeatedly. The provision of legal aid in such cases is wholly inadequate, which presents an unacceptable barrier to many victims accessing fair and effective legal representation. Does the Secretary of State agree with me and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner that legal aid should be provided in all domestic abuse cases to end self-representation and protect victims from retraumatisation?

Answer from David Lammy (The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice)

The hon. Lady is right that legal aid is important, but, in some cases, so is mediation. I would refer her to the pathfinder pilot, which is hugely important in relation to private family law. We are looking closely at provision, but we are also looking closely at the workforce, because as with criminal legal aid, we have seen lawyers—particularly younger lawyers—leaving that area of practice.

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