§ Llew SmithTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the British former detainees held at the prison camp in Guantanamo in Cuba would be eligible to claim financial aid to support a case to sue the United States authorities for compensation for unlawful detention. [161759]
§ Mr. LammyThe legal aid scheme for England and Wales can only cover proceedings in this jurisdiction. Legal aid is not available for proceeding in the United States courts.
For any proceedings properly brought in England and Wales, legal aid may be available subject to a standard financial means and legal merits test. The Legal Services Commission considers all cases objectively against these criteria before deciding whether or not to fund a case.