Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many representations have been received by her Department following the implementation of the means test for criminal legal aid; and how many have expressed support for the new arrangements.

Vera Baird: Since 2 October my Department has received approximately 10 letters from MPs on behalf of solicitors and a further 29 representations direct from solicitors. There is support for means testing in principle. Many correspondents have raised practical concerns about the operation of the new means test and I have announced a range of changes which are intended to meet these concerns.

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely impact on the legal aid budget of the reduction in the number of criminal cases going through the courts; and to what extent this reduction has informed the Department?s proposals for legal aid reform. [102012]

Vera Baird: In forecasting future demand for legal aid my Department and the Legal Services Commission take into account prevailing trends across the justice system.