Advanced

PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Legal Aid Scheme: Domestic Abuse (11 June 2020)

Question Asked

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the review into means testing of legal aid for victims of domestic violence will conclude; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by:
Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat)

Answer

Victims of domestic abuse must have access to the help they need - including legal aid, which is subject to a means and merits test. Our comprehensive review of the legal aid means test commenced in February 2019. The review is considering how the current arrangements adequately protect access to justice, and as part of this we have explicitly committed to look at means testing for victims of domestic abuse, including the existing capital thresholds.

Whilst the Government had previously committed to complete the review by Summer 2020, and to mark this with publication of a consultation paper, the impact of the Covid-19 crisis has meant this work has been temporarily paused and a revised timetable for delivery of the review will be announced shortly.


Answered by:
Alex Chalk (Conservative)
22 June 2020

Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.