Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Deferred
Paragraph: 82
Increase funding for asylum legal aid to ensure specialist support for complex claims nationwide.
Recommendation
We recommend the Government increases funding for asylum legal aid to ensure specialist support is available for claimants across the UK during the initial determination process, particularly for sexual orientation and gender identity, sexual and gender-based violence and abuse, and religious belief and apostasy-based claims.
Government Response Summary
The government does not commit to increasing funding for asylum legal aid but states the Ministry of Justice is undertaking a Review of Civil Legal Aid, which will consider options for improving the system for immigration and asylum matters.
Paragraph Reference:
82
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
In relation to the recommendation at paragraph 82, the Ministry of Justice is undertaking a Review of Civil Legal Aid to identify evidence-based options for moving to a more effective, efficient and sustainable system for legal aid providers and the people who rely on legal aid, including for people who need legal aid for immigration and asylum matters. The Review will consider the specific experiences and complexities of individual areas of law, including immigration, and will seek to identify potential policy options for improving the delivery of legal aid to people claiming asylum in the UK. We will continue working with our partners and key stakeholders in this field, to gain a deeper understanding of the issues that affect the delivery of immigration and asylum legal aid services.