Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the legal aid means test threshold was last reviewed; and when the next review is due to take place.

The civil and criminal means tests were last reviewed and uprated in 2008 and 2009 respectively, however both are evaluated by the government on an ongoing basis. The means test is a crucial way in which the government protects legal aid for those who need it most while balancing this with cost to the taxpayer.

As announced by the Lord Chancellor, we are conducting a review of legal aid reforms and plan to take this opportunity to inform wider consideration on the future of legal support in the justice system.