Select committee: Justice Committee
Conclusion 12
3rd Report – Access to Justice: Legal Aid
Published 17 Jul 2026
Addressed to Ministry of Justice
Justice Committee Access to Justice All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Due to its slow implementation, the minimum funding outlined in the Bellamy review as a necessary “first step” is now outdated. Recent government increases in criminal legal aid fees, and its match-funded pupillage scheme, are welcome. However, these only enact the minimum cash requirements of the Bellamy review, which is now five years old. There is understandable distrust between the legal profession and the government over future funding for criminal legal aid. (Conclusion, Paragraph 53)
From: Justice Committee, 3rd Report – Access to Justice: Legal Aid (HC 541), 17 July 2026
Government response
No government response linked yet: deadline 15 October 2026, 17 days ago.