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Written question asked by Emily Thornberry (Labour) on Monday, 20 November 2023, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 23 November 2023 (named day). It was answered by Mike Freer (Conservative) on Thursday, 23 November 2023 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Legal Aid Scheme: Greater Manchester and Middlesbrough

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Answer of 19 June 2023 to Question 189505 on Legal Aid Scheme: Manchester and Middlesbrough, for what reason the evaluation report into the early legal advice pilot scheme was not published before the end of summer 2023; and when he plans to publish that report.

Answer

We acknowledge the delayed release of the final report for the Early Legal Advice Pilot (ELAP) beyond the initially projected timeline.

The Ministry of Justice commissioned an independent research company to conduct the research and evaluation for ELAP. This process involved a feasibility study, which recommended a 'test pilot' to assess assumptions before proceeding to a full-scale pilot. During the test pilot, there was limited uptake of advice, and various methods were tried to enhance awareness and participation. Unfortunately, these attempts were unsuccessful, leading to the decision not to advance to the full trial after the completion of the test pilot phase. Subsequent evaluation work was carried out, and the draft reports have recently undergone independent external peer review.

We plan to publish all ELAP outputs in accordance with Government Social Research protocols in early 2024. These outputs will encompass the feasibility study report, a study exploring the potential for value for money modelling, and a final evaluation report.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
2542
Session
2023-24
Related items
Legal Aid Scheme
Tuesday, 23 April 2024
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects
Legal aid scheme Greater Manchester Pilot schemes Middlesbrough
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk