Speeches by Sackman.

“There is no compensation.”

“I am not aware of claims from victims. I am aware that there have been calls for compensation. In individual cases where there were specific reasons for additional costs, claims can be made under the Legal Aid Agency’s costs guidance, but there is no compensation scheme. That is for a couple of reasons. One is that, as…”

“For 2026, we put in investment of £61 million, which represents over a 100% increase on the committed amount in 2023-24. Over the spending review period, there has been an allocation of £200 million in additional funding. Some of that will have already been directed at stabilising the system and standing up the securit…”

“In general terms, I am attracted to a national strategy, and in my wildest dreams I am attracted to the idea of a national legal service. We have this mixture of provision, don’t we, that we have been discussing today of legal aid, private providers, charitable providers and state funding? Having a coherent joint syste…”

“I do. I cannot say with absolute certainty that that work will be complete within the spending review period, but I think that that represents a significant investment capable of achieving that goal, yes.”

“That is right.”

“Ms Harbottle has been really clear that we informed the public via the notice. We are complying with the ICO. It is important to remind ourselves that this was not a leak of our own making; it was the subject of a criminal cyber-attack, and a serious one at that. It is why the National Cyber Security Centre has been in…”

“You make a good point, and it is one that we can take away from the Committee to look at its desirability. The only thing is that, as with all data, it is important, first, that the data is robust and paints a complete picture and, secondly, that it is set in its proper context. As I said earlier, while I do not deny t…”

“Of course I have to be open to that. That is not the same as saying we are doing a wholesale review of the legislative framework, but of course we can and we must be open to that.”

“The Government will provide a full response to the consultation. We received many responses. It is important that we do that in a proper way and in proper time. I am not going to commit to any precise or specific form of any scheme. I will not pre-empt that now in this Committee. However, I am glad that you have drawn …”

“That did not sound like a short question or a simple one, but it is a good one—no less good for that.”

“Sure. I will try to give a quick answer.”

“It is a serious issue. Much of our public debate is focused on backlogs in our criminal courts, and particularly in the Crown courts, but I am mindful that many people look to enforce their rights in our tribunals, not least the employment tribunal, and that level of delay and backlog is not acceptable. I am mindful, t…”

“Duly noted.”

“I will certainly ask Ms Harbottle to provide further detail on this. It was a criminal attack on legacy systems where a lot of personal data, subject quite rightly to GDPR and then ICO processes, was held in a very fragmented way. There is a lot of complexity around complying with those requirements, which of course we…”

“I reject that.”

“That example that you give speaks to the way in which we know that family court can become a site of re-traumatisation. There is a report out today that no doubt those on the Committee will have taken notice of. As you say, it perpetuates the very abuse that may be at issue in the case. Of course, one has to look at ap…”

“Thank you, Chair, and good afternoon. To my right is Ms Jane Harbottle, the chief executive of the Legal Aid Agency. To my left is Farah Ziaulla, director for legal aid and legal support at the MOJ.”

“As things stand, 31% of those who appear in the magistrates court are publicly funded and 97% of those who apply for legal aid receive it. People may be litigants in person for a host of reasons. Some of that may be to do with choice. It may be that they have substantial means and simply choose—”

“Of course we have a responsibility where we make a commitment in statute to this that that commitment is realised. It is why the implementation of the commitment around the Hillsborough law for non-means-tested legal aid for bereaved families at inquest is a real focus for the Department. Part of that implementation in…”