5. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the impact of reductions to Scottish Legal Aid Board funding on child poverty. (S5O-02985)

The main legal aid fund is demand led. Unlike the position in England and Wales, the wide scope of legal aid has been maintained in Scotland, including for civil and family cases.

In addition to the main legal aid fund, over recent years, the Scottish Legal Aid Board has managed, on behalf of the Scottish Government, a variety of specific time-limited projects and funds to deliver access to justice and advice services, including for families. Decisions on the criteria and allocation of specific grant funding are taken in the context of our policy priorities, including our absolute commitment to reduce child poverty as well as to ensure the most efficient use of resources and transitional arrangements to any new funding schemes.

That commitment sounds a bit hollow because, although 230,000 Scottish children live in poverty and the number is rising, the Government is cutting the funding to the Scottish Legal Aid Board, which provides funding to citizens advice bureaux to deliver the making justice work programme. The Government is replacing that funding with a much smaller grant, for which bureaux will have to compete.

Why is the Government doing that at a time when child poverty is rising?

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

In fairness, minister, the question was on the Scottish Legal Aid Board. You may answer, if you wish, on CABx.

The tackling child poverty delivery plan, which was published in March 2018, sets out action across Government to contribute towards reductions in the child poverty level. The plan, which covers the period 2018 to 2022, is backed by a multimillion pound package of investment, including a new £50 million tackling child poverty fund.

In relation to the other part of the member’s question, the Scottish Government will provide SLAB with £2.7 million next year to continue to fund 27 projects that are focused on helping vulnerable people with debt and legal issues. SLAB was always clear that those projects were for specific purposes, subject to annual review and not to be relied on as core funding.

I note that Labour’s only budget proposal this year, from Alex Rowley, would have resulted in further reductions to the justice budget. It is clear that, under Labour, the Scottish Legal Aid Board and citizens advice bureaux—and, by extension, the vulnerable families that Neil Findlay has spoken of today—would be worse off.