Written questions by Cane.

When his Department plans to respond to the Law Commission's recommendations on the reclamation and reuse of graves.

The Law Commission’s recommendations on burial were published on 18 March 2026 in its final report on the Burial and Cremation sub-project of a wider review of the legislative framework for burial, cremation and new funerary methods. Reports will also be published in due course in relation to New Funerary Methods and Rights and Obligations relating to Funerary Methods, Funerals and Remains.The Government will consider the Law Commission’s recommendations carefully and will respond in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer to Question 89265 on Legal Aid Scheme: Ely and East Cambridgeshire, how many of the providers in each procurement area are based in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency.

There are no legal aid providers with an office within the Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency.However, that does not mean that your constituents do not have access to legal aid and legal aid services both locally within the wider constituency or via national services provided on a remote basis.As set out in the answer to Questions 86918 and 89265, the LAA does not commission services at constituency or individual town level. Services are commissioned and monitored at wider procurement area level. Constituents in Ely and East Cambridgeshire can access services locally within the wider procurement area which has more than the minimum number of contracts in each civil category. Additionally, the Cambridge Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service ensures that on the day emergency representation is available in respect of cases concerning eviction or loss of home is available to your constituents.Local civil legal aid services are supplemented by national remote services such as Civil Legal Advice which provides access to free confidential advice on housing, debt, education and discrimination matters throughout England and Wales.All duty slots on the Ely and East Cambridge duty solicitor scheme are covered. This means that anybody attending or arrested at a police station in your consituency will have access to a legally-aided solicitor.

Pursuant to the Answers of 29 October 2025 to Question 84015 on Legal Aid Scheme: Ely and East Cambridgeshire and of 17 November 2025 to Question 88053 on Legal Aid Scheme: Ely and East Cambridgeshire, what criteria the Legal Aid Agency uses to assess the adequacy of access to legal aid services in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 November to Question 86918 which sets out methodology used to assess supply of legal aid services. As set out in that response civil legal aid services are commissioned and monitored at procurement area level and the basic criteria used is whether each category of law has at least the minimum number of contracts. Criminal legal aid services are commissioned at a national level but as set out in the response to question 86918 the Legal Aid Agency ensures demand under the local duty scheme is met i.e. there is cover for all available slots on the duty solicitor rota.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2025 to Question 86918 on Legal Aid Scheme: Ely and East Cambridgeshire, by what amount each procurement area exceeds the required minimum number of legal aid providers; and what proportion of Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency falls under each procurement area.

As explained in the answer to Question 86918, procurement areas are different for each category of civil law. The table below sets out details about which procurement area Ely and East Cambridgeshire falls into for each civil category and the number of providers in each of those procurement areas exceeding the minimum number. This data is sourced from contract and schedule data dated 29 September 2025. Category of Law Relevant Procurement Area Providers in excess of the minimum numberClaims Against Public AuthoritiesMidlands and East of England7Community CareEastern3DiscriminationMidlands & East3EducationMidlands & East2Housing and DebtCambridgeshire1ImmigrationMidlands and East of England42FamilyCambridgeshire4Clinical NegligenceMidlands and East of England11Mental HealthMidlands & East23Public LawMidlands and East of England13Welfare BenefitsMidlands & East2 The entirety of the Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency falls under each procurement area listed. It is the procurement area which will be different depending on the category of law.In addition to local providers, national services are also available to your constituents. These include early legal advice through the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service, and telephone-based support for housing, debt, education, and discrimination issues via Civil Legal Advice.

Pursuant to the Answer of 29 October to Question 84015 on Legal Aid Scheme: Ely and East Cambridgeshire, what criteria the Legal Aid Agency uses to assess the adequacy of access to legal aid services in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency.

I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on 7 November to Question 86918.

Pursuant to the Answer of 29 October to Question 84015 on Legal Aid Scheme: Ely and East Cambridgeshire, when the Legal Aid Agency last assessed the adequacy of legal aid provision in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency; and if they will undertake a new assessment in that constituency.

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) continually assesses supply across all procurement areas. The LAA’s network of regional contract managers located throughout England and Wales provide intelligence-led information based on contact with legal aid service providers. In addition, the LAA regularly reviews available supply to make sure there is adequate provision for legal aid, in all categories of law, and takes operational action where it can, to respond to market pressures that may arise.For civil contracts the LAA commissions and monitors the supply of legal aid services across larger geographic areas called procurement areas, rather than by local authority or parliamentary constituency. These areas vary depending on the type of civil law.Ely and East Cambridgeshire fall within several procurement areas, which cover all civil categories of law for which legal aid is available. All of these procurement areas exceed the minimum required number of legal aid providers. In addition to local providers, national services are also available to your constituents. These include early legal advice through the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service, and telephone-based support for housing, debt, education, and discrimination issues via Civil Legal Advice.Criminal legal aid contracts are commissioned nationally. The LAA monitors and take measures within its control to ensure there is sufficient coverage for local duty solicitor schemes, in this case the Cambridge and Ely scheme. These schemes are based on demand, so the number of solicitors may vary between areas.As set out in the response to PQ 84015, the LAA is satisfied there is currently adequate provision of legal aid services in Ely and East Cambridgeshire.Details about legal aid providers are published in the LAA’s official statistics (Tables 9.1–9.9). These figures help the LAA monitor the availability of services across different legal categories and regions in England and Wales.

What assessment his Department has made of levels of access to legal aid in the Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency; and what steps his Department is taking to improve access.

This Government recognises the important role that legal aid plays in helping some of the most vulnerable in society access legal advice.The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) monitors the numbers of providers in each procurement area and across all categories of law. It takes operational action where it can, to respond to market pressures that may arise and works closely with the Ministry of Justice on policy solutions concerning the supply of legal aid.The LAA is satisfied that there is adequate access to legal aid services in Ely and East Cambridgeshire across all categories of legal aid.We have confirmed that we are increasing fees for all housing & debt, and immigration & asylum legal aid work. This is a significant investment of £20 million a year – the first increase since 1996. In addition, we are looking at other potential changes that could support providers, for example, (civil) contractual requirements regarding provider offices and limits to the provision of remote legal aid that providers say are burdensome. Any changes would aim to give providers more autonomy in meeting client need, while maintaining effective in-person provision for clients who need this.Further, in December 2024, we announced that criminal legal aid solicitors will receive up to £92 million more a year, subject to consultation, to help support the sustainability of the criminal legal aid sector. The consultation launched in May 2025, and we will publish the response later this year.This is in addition to our response to the Crime Lower consultation, confirming an uplift to the lowest police station fees, introducing a new Youth Court fee scheme, and paying for travel in certain circumstances. Together, these changes provided a £24 million investment for criminal legal aid providers.

What discussions his Department has had with Citizens Advice on legal aid provision in rural areas.

People in England and Wales should be able to access legal aid services regardless of where they live, provided they meet the relevant eligibility criteria. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for commissioning legal aid services across the country to ensure coverage in rural areas. It monitors the numbers of providers in each procurement area and across all categories of law. It takes operational action where possible, to respond to market pressures that may arise and works closely with the Ministry of Justice on policy solutions concerning the supply of legal aid.In the recent consultation on immigration and housing legal aid fees, the Ministry of Justice gathered evidence on ways to improve providers’ ability to provide advice remotely and flexibly across all categories of civil legal aid, while maintaining effective arrangements for clients who need face to face advice. Greater use of remote video technology can enable people to access a wide range of specialist advice wherever they are in the country. In addition, legal advice for education, discrimination, housing and debt issues is always available through the Civil Legal Advice telephone service, wherever you are in England and Wales.Moreover, individuals facing the loss of their home can access early legal advice in respect of housing, debt and welfare benefit issues on a remote basis under the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service (HLPAS).As part of the £24 million increase for criminal solicitors implemented in 2024, the Ministry of Justice is paying for travel time for solicitors who work or commute to work in a small number of scheme areas with fewer than two legal aid providers, as well as the Isle of Wight.The Ministry of Justice and Legal Aid Agency continue to work closely with Citizens Advice on legal aid and legal support. Citizen Advice holds contracts across a number of civil legal aid categories, including housing and debt and HLPAS, and is represented at the Legal Aid Agency Civil Contracts Consultative Group (CCCG), where issues such as provision and capacity are discussed. I recently met with its Chief Executive who also sits on the Legal Support Strategy Delivery Group which is comprised of key stakeholders from the advice sector. This group is working with the Ministry of Justice to develop and implement a long-term programme of work to improve the legal support system across the country, making it more effective, efficient and sustainable.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to legal aid in rural areas.

People in England and Wales should be able to access legal aid services regardless of where they live, provided they meet the relevant eligibility criteria. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for commissioning legal aid services across the country to ensure coverage in rural areas. It monitors the numbers of providers in each procurement area and across all categories of law. It takes operational action where possible, to respond to market pressures that may arise and works closely with the Ministry of Justice on policy solutions concerning the supply of legal aid.In the recent consultation on immigration and housing legal aid fees, the Ministry of Justice gathered evidence on ways to improve providers’ ability to provide advice remotely and flexibly across all categories of civil legal aid, while maintaining effective arrangements for clients who need face to face advice. Greater use of remote video technology can enable people to access a wide range of specialist advice wherever they are in the country. In addition, legal advice for education, discrimination, housing and debt issues is always available through the Civil Legal Advice telephone service, wherever you are in England and Wales.Moreover, individuals facing the loss of their home can access early legal advice in respect of housing, debt and welfare benefit issues on a remote basis under the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service (HLPAS).As part of the £24 million increase for criminal solicitors implemented in 2024, the Ministry of Justice is paying for travel time for solicitors who work or commute to work in a small number of scheme areas with fewer than two legal aid providers, as well as the Isle of Wight.The Ministry of Justice and Legal Aid Agency continue to work closely with Citizens Advice on legal aid and legal support. Citizen Advice holds contracts across a number of civil legal aid categories, including housing and debt and HLPAS, and is represented at the Legal Aid Agency Civil Contracts Consultative Group (CCCG), where issues such as provision and capacity are discussed. I recently met with its Chief Executive who also sits on the Legal Support Strategy Delivery Group which is comprised of key stakeholders from the advice sector. This group is working with the Ministry of Justice to develop and implement a long-term programme of work to improve the legal support system across the country, making it more effective, efficient and sustainable.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Early Release Scheme.

After inheriting a prison system in crisis, SDS40 was a necessary measure we were forced to take to avoid the collapse of the Criminal Justice System. Our initial operational insights suggested there was not a significant change to the use and application of recall since the implementation of the SDS change, however we will continue to monitor this. In designing the measure, we took every possible step to mitigate risk including an 8-week implementation period, clear offence exclusions, and a huge amount of collaboration with partners across the Criminal Justice System.Following the first tranche of SDS40 releases that took place on 10 September, the Ministry of Justice and His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service consulted our frontline and cross government partners on how things went. This consultation informed our preparation for the Tranche 2 releases on 22 October.As the Lord Chancellor has previously announced, the change will be reviewed after 18 months.

What steps she is taking to support survivors of (a) domestic abuse and (b) violence against women through the criminal justice system.

This Government is working towards the ambition of halving violence against women and girls, including domestic abuse, in the next decade.We are committed to supporting victims of these abhorrent crimes. We have protected VAWG spending by maintaining 2024/25 ringfenced funding levels for sexual violence and domestic abuse support this year, as well as the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund and funding for Independent Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocates.In November, we launched Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in selected areas. These orders will improve protection for victims of domestic abuse, including non-physical abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour.Further, we will increase the powers of the Victims’ Commissioner to improve accountability when victims’ needs are not met, and the Victims and Prisoners Act will improve awareness of, and compliance with, the Victims’ Code which supports victims of crime to understand what they can expect from the justice system. It will also require local commissioners to collaborate when commissioning support for victims of domestic and sexual abuse.

What steps she is taking to tackle backlogs in the courts.

Criminal Courts We remain committed to bearing down on the outstanding caseload and delivering swifter justice for victims, but the challenge we face to do so is significant.The Government has taken action to reduce the rate of caseload growth, through extending magistrates’ court sentencing powers to 12 months and funding 108,500 days at the Crown Court this financial year (FY24/25), the highest level since FY15/16.  To tackle the outstanding caseload in the longer term it is clear that we must go further and do things differently. The Lord Chancellor has commissioned an independent review of the criminal courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to consider the merits of longer-term reform, as well as reviewing the efficiency and timeliness of court processes, through charge to case completion. Family Courts Delays in the court process can have a significant impact on children and families - we are committed to improving timeliness and reducing the outstanding caseload.The Family Justice Board agreed system-wide targets for reducing delay in 2024/25. These are focused on closing the longest running cases and increasing the proportion of public law cases concluded within the statutory 26-week timeframe.  Areas delivering the Pathfinder model for private law are making significant progress in addressing delays, with some of the lowest case durations nationally. To address the particular challenges in London, we are investing up to £1 million this financial year to tackle the outstanding private law caseload through providing additional capacity.