Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Justice to detail how she will ensure that (i) any new delivery models for legal aid services will be financially sustainable; and (ii) the current regulatory and consumer protections will continue to apply to those services.
Minister of Justice: The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that any new delivery models for legal aid services are both financially sustainable and subject to robust regulatory and consumer protections. These commitments are central to the Department’s wider reform programme, Enabling Access to Justice, which seeks to modernise legal aid provision while safeguarding access, quality, and accountability.
The reform programme is informed by several key reviews and consultations. The Fundamental Review of Criminal Legal Aid, led by His Honour Judge Tom Burgess, examined the structure and sustainability of criminal legal aid, including remuneration and delivery models. This review was underpinned by extensive stakeholder engagement, including consultation with the judiciary, the Bar of Northern Ireland, the Law Society, and legal aid practitioners.
The Foundational Review of Civil Legal Services included a wide-ranging call for evidence, engaging legal professionals, civil society organisations, young people, and individuals with lived experience of accessing legal aid. This process helped identify barriers to access and informed the development of reform priorities that reflect the needs of diverse service users.
The Department of Justice has proposed an uplift in legal aid fees following the recommendations of the Burgess Review. The Department has also implemented operational improvements, including a 58% reduction in payment processing times by the Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland, which has improved cash flow for providers and enhanced system sustainability.
With regard to regulatory and consumer protections, the Department will ensure that any new delivery models continue to be governed by the existing statutory framework and oversight mechanisms. The Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland will retain responsibility for enforcing eligibility checks, fraud prevention, and quality assurance.
The Department remains committed to transparency, accountability, and meaningful stakeholder engagement throughout the reform process. Future reforms will be co-designed with service users and providers to ensure that they are inclusive, effective, and aligned with the principles of access to justice.
ENDS
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