Value for Money from Legal Aid

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 10 Jan 2024 Closed: 28 May 2024 Parliament page
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO), implemented in 2013, significantly reduced the scope of legal aid in England and Wales, which provides legal services for those who are eligible, largely those who cannot afford to pay. LASPO succeeded in helping reduce the scheme’s expenditure from approximately … Read more
19 Recommendations
5 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
8 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 12 events
11 Jul
2025
Report published
24 May
2024
Report published
21 May
2024
Correspondence
20 May
2024
Correspondence
15 Apr
2024
Correspondence
15 Apr
2024
Correspondence
15 Apr
2024
Correspondence
15 Apr
2024
Correspondence
15 Apr
2024
Correspondence
25 Mar
2024
Oral evidence
25 Mar
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
18 Mar
2024
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
25 Mar 2024
View on parliament.uk
Value for money from legal aid
Antonia Romeo · Ministry of Justice Jane Harbottle · Legal Aid Agency Jason Latham · HM Courts and Tribunals Service Jerome Glass · Ministry of Justice
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Thirty-Third Report - Value for Money from Legal Aid HC 481 24 May 2024 24 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
1 result
Clear
6 Recommendation Acknowledged
Thirty-Third Report - Value for Mo…
Improve timely response to legal aid market sustainability issues and implement fee reviews.
We are not convinced that the Ministry of Justice has put in place sufficient measures to ensure the future sustainability of the legal aid market. MoJ has been slow to initiate and complete its large-scale sustainability reviews of both criminal … Read more
Government Response
The government agreed, but provided vague commitments on several points. It is 'considering how best' to work with providers on profitability. It noted CLAAB's advice on criminal legal aid is 'not binding' but assessed. For civil legal aid, it described current evidence gathering for the RoCLA, with findings under consideration and future decisions on routine review mechanisms pending for ministers.
HM Treasury
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 24 of 19 classified
Accepted 20
Acknowledged 1
Not Addressed 3
Total 19 recs + 5 conclusions
Correspondence 8 letters
21 May 2024 Correspondence from Richard Price, Director General – Performance, Strategy and Analysis, Ministry of Justice, re Committee hearing on 25 March 2024 on the “Value for Money from Legal Aid” update, dated 16 May 2024
Parliament page
20 May 2024 Correspondence from Richard Orpin, Interim CEO, Legal Services Board, re Legal Services Board’s response to call for evidence on value for money from legal aid, dated 16 May 2024
Parliament page
15 Apr 2024 Correspondence from Jane Harbottle, Chief Executive, Legal Aid Agency, re Public Accounts Committee Value for Money from Legal Aid – 25 March oral evidence follow up, dated 3 April 2024
Parliament page
15 Apr 2024 Correspondence from Jerome Glass, Director General, Policy, Ministry of Justice, re Value for Money from Legal Aid, dated 3 April 2024
Parliament page
15 Apr 2024 Correspondence from Nick Goodwin, Chief Executive, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, re Value for Money from Legal Aid, dated 3 April 2024
Parliament page
15 Apr 2024 Correspondence from Nick Goodwin, Chief Executive, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, re Value For Money From Legal Aid, dated 3 April 2024
Parliament page
15 Apr 2024 Correspondence from Jane Harbottle, Chief Executive, Legal Aid Agency, re Public Accounts Committee Value for Money from Legal Aid – 25 March oral evidence follow up, dated 3 April 2024
Parliament page
18 Mar 2024 Correspondence from Lord Bellamy KC, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, re Legal aid means test review: implementation update, dated 12 March 2024
Parliament page