Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to support legal aid firms during the covid-19 outbreak.
We are aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has created a range of challenges for the legal profession. We have been working closely with legal aid providers across the justice system throughout the pandemic and will continue to do so, monitoring any impact and understanding their concerns.
A range of measures have been introduced to support providers during the pandemic while maintaining access to justice for the most vulnerable in society. These include:
HM Treasury have introduced and recently extended a range of measures to support individuals and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the furlough scheme, Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan and Bounce Back Loan, to provide some financial stability. We encourage the professions to continue to take advantage of this support where appropriate.
We will continue to closely monitor the situation, working with providers to keep these measures under review.