Justice minister Sarah Sackman has admitted that the government’s budget for increased legal aid spending is effectively empty. Speaking at a fringe event of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Sackman expressed her commitment to the principle of legal aid but noted that there is little room for further investment.
The government has committed almost £100m more to criminal legal aid, an extra £23m for housing advice, and £34m for the criminal bar, alongside a £200m investment in IT systems. Sackman said she would be lying if she said there is a whole lot more money to spend, citing the tight fiscal situation.
Sackman emphasized the need to make the existing budget work harder, rather than relying on additional funding. She also expressed her desire to develop a national justice system based on the principle that early treatment of problems saves on high spending further down the line, similar to the NHS.
The minister endorsed the Interest on Lawyers’ Client Accounts scheme, which will divert money to justice spending, saying it was ‘creating a revenue stream precisely to invest in access to justice’. The government has yet to formally respond to a consultation on the scheme, which has been opposed by the legal profession.
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Sackman was pressed on whether the government should start to levy the biggest firms who benefit from the status of the England and Wales justice system to pay more towards it. She replied that the government might consider asking some of the more lucrative ends of the profession to contribute, but noted that this would be politically challenging.
Sackman’s comments come as the Legal Aid Agency tries to address housing and debt crises in 45 procurement areas, and the National Audit Office warns of family justice delays disrupting children’s friendships and education. The minister’s admission that the legal aid budget is effectively empty has significant implications for the justice system. It is clear that the justice system faces significant challenges in the coming period, with the Legal Aid Agency working to resolve these issues within the existing budget constraints.
The National Audit Office’s warning highlights the need for efficient management of the justice system, and Sackman’s commitment to developing a national justice system based on early intervention and prevention is a step in this direction. However, the lack of additional funding for legal aid spending remains a concern, and it is likely that the government will need to explore alternative revenue streams to support the justice system.
