Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alison Bennett and Sarah Sackman

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Sackman]

Once again, my hon. Friend makes the case through the particularly compelling example of elderly victims of crime awaiting justice. When we say that justice delayed is justice denied, that is exactly what we mean. It is why we must pull every lever in investment, legal aid and sitting days, modernisation through the adoption of technology, and, of course, the reforms in the Courts and Tribunals Bill.

[Alison Bennett (Mid Sussex) (LD)]

In 2011, there were 230 firms and 781 accredited legal representatives undertaking mental health legal aid work. There are now only 148 firms and 383 representatives. The rate of pay for mental health lawyers has, accounting for inflation, gone down by 47% since 2008. Our criminal courts are full of people with mental health disorders, so a functioning mental health system must be part of the mission to tackle the courts backlog. Does the Minister agree that legal aid fees for mental health law work must increase to ensure that patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 have access to competent, publicly funded legal representation?

[Sarah Sackman]

I was very pleased to meet the hon. Lady and the heads of the Mental Health Lawyers Association, when we were able to discuss these issues. It is why, as a matter of priority when the Government came in, we invested in increases in fees for legal aid, criminal solicitors, prison lawyers and a forthcoming increase in fees for criminal barristers. But I accept that there is more work to do on the civil side, including in mental health. There are changes we can make through the transformation of the legal aid system and we are making that investment too, so that those providers are working within improved systems and not on the old legacy systems that have so hampered the delivery of access to justice.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alison Bennett and Sarah Sackman

Tuesday 17th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Sackman]

We are maximising the number of judicial sitting days in the immigration and asylum chamber. We are recruiting more judges in this area, as well as working with the Home Office to develop proposals for a new independent appeals body that would handle appeal types currently heard in the immigration tribunal, all of which I hope will benefit my hon. Friend’s constituents.

[Alison Bennett (Mid Sussex) (LD)]

T4.   My Mid Sussex constituent has waited four months for a transcript that will prove the financial terms agreed with her ex-husband in family court, which he now disputes. Without it, she faces the expense of hiring a barrister to go back to court in April. She is facing financial hardship as a result of this. What steps is the Minister taking to address severe delays in accessing family court transcripts?

[Sarah Sackman]

I am sorry to hear about that case. These sorts of delays mount trauma on trauma for many of those going through sensitive family court proceedings. We have to get this right. Because of the sensitive nature of family proceedings, there has to be judge approval of transcripts, and they have to meet the rigorous requirements of the secure transcription unit. We cannot compromise on accuracy and quality, but we do need to get the delays down.