To ask the Minister of Justice how she engaged with key stakeholders, including the Law Society and the Bar Council NI, before her Ministerial Statement Enabling Access to Justice: Reform of Legal Aid.

The programme has been informed by widespread evidence gathering and detailed engagement with stakeholders who have had the opportunity to meet directly with officials and to respond to the call for evidence for the Foundational Review of Civil Legal Services and to meet and submit evidence to His Honour Judge Burgess who led the Fundamental Review of Criminal Legal Aid. That includes the Law Society and Bar Council with whom my Department enjoys regular contact, both on an ad hoc basis and through monthly stocktake meetings.

I also had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the Bar and the Law Society in advance of my statement to the Assembly. The Programme represents the totality of evidence gathered through that engagement process and other sources, but engagement will continue as I consult on the programme delivery plan and each of the proposals therein.