Djanogly on legal aid: My interests are an open book

QUESTIONS have been raised in a national newspaper over Huntingdon MP Jonathan Djanogly’s involvement in new legal aid legislation.

A Guardian investigation, published on Friday, suggested that Mr Djanogly’s measures to limit legal aid and restrict payouts – expected to benefit the insurance industry – could also benefit him personally, as the partner in an insurance syndicate.

In the Commons register of members’ interests, Mr Djanogly is listed as a “minority partner in The Djanogly Family LLP (member of Lloyd’s)”, meaning that he takes one-sixth of the profits from a Lloyds underwriting partnership dealing in accident, health and motor claims.

In the past three years, that has entitled Mr Djanogly to an average payout of �41,000.

In a statement responding to The Guardian’s article, Mr Djanogly said that the reforms had been based on the recommendations of an independent review.

“My financial interests are a matter of public record. I have made declarations both as a minister and as an MP.

“The Government’s reforms to the no-win, no-fee system are designed to tackle the fear of a compensation culture that inflates legal costs and forces defendants to settle even when they know they have done nothing wrong.

“The reforms are based on an independent review by Sir Rupert Jackson.”

The Cabinet Office’s ministerial code says: “Ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or could reasonably be perceived to arise, between their public duties and their private interests, financial or otherwise.”