Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the proportion of the population eligible for the legal aid scheme in 2020-21 compared with 2010-11.

We do not have comparative assessments of the proportion of the population eligible for legal aid in 2010-11 or 2020-21.

In 2019, we announced a comprehensive review of the legal aid means test. The review is assessing the effectiveness with which the means test protects access to justice, and we hope to publish the review alongside a public consultation shortly. Alongside our policy proposals, this will include estimates of legal aid eligibility.