Northern Ireland’s legal aid bill shrunk from around £111 million to £96 million last year according to Justice Minister Claire Sugden.

Ms Sugden presented the figure to MLAs in response to a parliamentary question from DUP MLA Edwin Poots.

The Department of Justice is working to cut legal aid spending in Northern Ireland through a series of reforms.

A spokesperson told the Belfast Telegraph: “Further reforms to fees paid in the civil courts are also at an advanced stage and work is ongoing in a number of other areas.

“The Minister is committed to continuing that reform programme, ensuring that the most vulnerable in our society can access representation while those who can afford to pay do so.”

A spokesperson for the Law Society of Northern Ireland told Irish Legal News: “Legal aid provision in Northern Ireland continues to be demand-led and that demand and eligibility for legal aid is on the increase in a region marked by higher levels of social deprivation and unemployment.

“Solicitors throughout Northern Ireland have continued to show great commitment to providing legal aid services to the community despite significant cuts to their fees.”