Legal Aid Cyberhack, Third Runway and a Welcome Deal with the EU

Report back from Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick

Andy Slaughter MP

May 23, 2025

The week began with a Justice Committee visit to the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate HQ. Committee members were shown how Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate conduct examinations of CPS files. The visit was informative for Committee members and allowed us to see the inner workings of a different part of our justice system. I am always grateful to the staff who give up their time to show us around and answer our questions.

I asked a question at the statement given by the Justice Minister on the cyber-attack on the Legal Aid Agency. The attackers have claimed to have stolen a significant amount of data that the Legal Aid Agency held. This data breach is one of the worst we have seen in recent years, and we must future proof our IT systems to withstand the ongoing and targeted attacks from cyber criminals.

I attended a campaign meeting for the No Third Runway Coalition this week to discuss the developments on the status of the 3rd runway. I tabled a written question to the Secretary of State for Transport to ask how many civil servants and consultants have been working on proposals for a third runway since the announcement at the end of January. The question is due to be answered after recess.

Some good news on a deal between the UK and EU this week as the Prime Minister starts to undo damage to relationships with our European neighbours caused by the previous Government. The deal focussed on lowering bills and food prices as well as working together on border security. The Prime Minister announced that these conversations have opened a path to agreeing a form of youth mobility scheme. All-in-all a positive step in the right direction and good news for my constituents.

The announcement on Monday from the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary on the situation in Gaza was a welcome shift in UK policy toward Israel’s continued atrocities in the region. I asked the Foreign Secretary about further sanctions and the need to recognise the state of Palestine.

I made a speech at the second reading of the Victims and Courts Bill – a Bill to improve the experience of victims in the criminal justice system. There are some good things being brought forward in the Bill and I welcome all the major proposals. Whilst the Bill is published against the backdrop of significant court backlogs, this is a positive step along the road to a fairer and more humane criminal justice system.

On Thursday the sentencing review report by David Gauke was published and the Lord Chancellor came to the House to give a statement on the findings. Broadly speaking, the measures in the report are practical steps to reduce the unsustainable increase in the prison population following 14 years of unacceptable underfunding of our justice system. Another important strategy for reducing the prison population is tackling the cycle of reoffending. I asked the Lord Chancellor about this and spoke about the importance of effective rehabilitation to end the cycle.

The Commons is now in recess and will return on 2nd June. Meanwhile I will be out and about in the constituency, at local events and meeting with constituents.

Best wishes,

Andy

andy@andyslaughter.com

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