DUP says inaccurate information from minister Naomi Long on barristers' pay is 'worrying'

The chair of Stormont’s justice committee says inaccurate information put into the public domain by Naomi Long is “worrying” – given it is the second time she has “misspoke” in just over a month.

DUP MLA Paul Frew made the comments after the justice minister’s department said she was mistaken when she claimed a barrister had earned more than £3m in legal aid last year.

Naomi Long's justice department has corrected figures the minister gave in a radio interview last week.

placeholder image — Naomi Long's justice department has corrected figures the minister gave in a radio interview last week.

The Alliance leader made the comments during a BBC Nolan Show interview in relation to an ongoing strike by criminal defence barristers. They are in dispute with Mrs Long’s department of justice (DoJ) over the level of legal aid payments they receive.

The justice minister told the BBC last week that the difference between the top and bottom earners among criminal barristers was “huge”.

“Last year, we had one barrister who earned over £3 million from legal aid alone... that is the equivalent of what 53 other barristers earned together”, she said. However, the DoJ later clarified that a sum of £3.98m was earned over a three and half year period, which ended in September.

North Antrim MLA Paul Frew, who chairs the Assembly’s justice committee, said the minister’s inaccurate statement about barristers’ pay is the second time Naomi Long has ‘misspoke’ in just over a month.

Mr Frew said: “It is really worrying when the Justice Minister is having to apologise once again for inaccuracies in what are very important matters impacting on people’s livelihoods, victims of crime and their families.

“We need the Justice Minister to prioritise getting criminal court cases recommencing again and we need the criminal barristers to do all they can to end their strike.

“Putting out inaccurate information is not going to help and it’s not going to build confidence and relationships. I have been speaking to families caught up in the delay. It is excruciatingly painful for them as they wait on the wheels of justice to start turning”, he said.

DoJ said the minister “was emphasising that some counsel are well paid... but there is an imbalance in the distribution of legal aid payments as the majority of cases are handled by a small number of barristers”. They said 22.5% of barristers paid accounted for 74% of expenditure.