To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much funding from the public purse has been allocated on covering the legal costs of private prosecutors in the event that the private prosecution fails in the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department last reviewed its policy of reimbursing private prosecutors' costs from the public purse in the event that the private prosecution fails.

Prior to October 2014 Legal Aid Agency payment data did not separately identify private prosecution costs from other costs awarded from central funds. Data is available for the last three years for private prosecution costs, but these figures do not distinguish between costs awarded in successful and unsuccessful prosecutions. Total payments to private prosecutors were:

2015-16 £4,263,000

2016-17 £1,821,000

2017-18 £3,674,000

Central Funds policy is kept under regular review.