Legal Aid: Rural Areas

22 Apr

Question

During the question session concerning access to legal aid in rural areas, the focus was on addressing gaps in legal aid provision, known as legal aid deserts. The debate highlighted deficiencies in legal support in rural counties and examined the government's measures to improve the situation.

Steff Aquarone opened the session by drawing attention to the critical lack of legal aid access in North Norfolk, emphasizing challenges such as recruitment and retention due to low fees, housing costs, and poor public transport infrastructure. He urged the minister to address these barriers and offer support to local legal aid initiatives.

£92 million

Invested in the sustainability of the criminal legal aid sector to improve service delivery nationwide.

Sarah Sackman responded by detailing ongoing investments totaling £92 million for the sustainability of the criminal legal aid sector, and £20 million targeted towards housing and immigration to bolster civil legal aid. These funds aimed to enhance access nationwide, reflecting a strategic focus on early advice systems and digital solutions for improved reach.

£20 million

Proposed increase in fees to enhance access to housing and immigration legal aid in the civil sector.

Jayne Kirkham echoed the need for expanded rural legal aid services, pointing out similar deficiencies in Cornwall. She suggested engaging volunteers and utilizing organizations like Citizens Advice to channel funding effectively in rural communities.

Throughout the debate, the advantages of remote technology in democratizing access to legal advice were emphasized, aiming to bridge the urban-rural divide in legal aid provision.

£6 million

Additional funds for early legal support projects intended to provide critical early advice, especially in rural areas.

Outcome

Outcome of the Session:

Commitment to Address "Legal Aid Deserts": The session underscored the government's commitment through existing and proposed investments to mitigate legal aid shortfalls in rural areas.
Further Consultations and Meetings: Minister Sarah Sackman agreed to consider meeting with stakeholders from North Norfolk and reassured ongoing consultations with other rural areas like Cornwall.
Acknowledgment of Challenges: Access to legal aid remains challenged by geographical barriers, but there's strong acknowledgment from the government on addressing these persistent issues.

Key Contributions

Steff AquaroneMember of Parliament

Liberal Democrats

Highlighted North Norfolk as a legal aid desert, pointing to inadequate family, criminal, and housing legal services.

Sarah SackmanMinister (legal aid-related, not explicitly mentioned)

Detailed governmental investments in the legal aid sector aimed to enhance rural accessibility.

Jayne KirkhamMember of Parliament

Labour

Drew attention to the rural legal aid shortcomings in Cornwall, calling it another legal aid desert.

Original Transcript

Steff Aquarone

North Norfolk

Question

UIN: 903761

6. What steps she is taking to increase access to legal aid in rural areas.

The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice

Sarah Sackman

Wherever they are in England and Wales, people should benefit from equal access to legal support and legal aid. Remote technology and provision of online advice present the opportunity both to democratise legal advice and to deliver it to all who need to access it.

We are investing an additional £92 million to support the sustainability of the criminal legal aid sector, and we are consulting on fee increases totalling £20 million for housing and immigration to increase access to civil legal aid.

All of this will support legal aid across the country, including in rural areas.

Steff Aquarone

14:55

North Norfolk is a legal aid desert. My residents have precious little access to family, criminal and housing legal assistance, despite the best efforts of local organisations such as the Norfolk Community Law Service.

We face huge barriers to recruitment and retention in rural areas, such as the cost of housing, poor public transport and fees that, despite the uprating, are still too low. Things need to change.

Will the Minister meet me and those working in the legal aid sector in North Norfolk to discuss what we can do to support those in need in areas such as mine?

Sarah Sackman

14:55

I thank the hon. Member for raising the issue of legal aid deserts, and I welcome his suggestion that he write to me about these things.

I regularly meet legal aid providers, and that is why we are investing an additional £6 million in legal support, which provides that early advice that can make a real difference in areas such as his.

Jayne Kirkham

Truro and Falmouth

Lab/Co-op

14:55

Cornwall is a big rural legal aid desert. We have many volunteers who would be prepared to help and Citizens Advice could act as an umbrella organisation. Will the Minister meet me to discuss how we can get some of that funding for access to legal aid in rural areas into Cornwall?

Sarah Sackman

My hon. Friend is right to raise the importance of early legal support and legal aid. That is why we are investing in online provision. As I have said, remote technology can make a real difference in areas such as hers.

Before I came to this place, I volunteered in a free legal advice centre, so I know just how much of a difference such institutions can make.

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