Michael Tomlinson corrected a written answer on Good Law Project: Legal Costs

4 December 2023 · Commons written answer · Attorney General

Sir John Hayes (Conservative, South Holland and The Deepings) asked written question 2472 on 20 November 2023. Michael Tomlinson answered on 27 November 2023 for the Attorney General, and Michael Tomlinson corrected the answer on 4 December 2023. The correction replaced 8 figures (£10,000.00, £196,000.00, £23,738.71, £270,000.00, £4,753.00, £40,000.00) with 10 figures (£10,000, £160,925.71, £286,000, £35,925.71, £4,753, £40,000). Altogether 95 words differ between the two versions.

The question

To ask the Attorney General, what was the total sum (a) paid to and (b) received from the Good Law Project by HM Government in respect of legal costs in each financial year since 2017-18.

Original and corrected answer

Struck through: original only. Bold: correction only.

Original	Corrected
There were ~~52 cases against~~ His Majesty’s Government ~~in which~~ the Good Law Project ~~were involved as a party which concluded in~~ the period since the start of the 2017-18 financial year. HM Government won 14 and lost ~~2 of those cases, 15~~ cases were settled, and 31 cases withdrawn by the Good Law Project. In total, ~~the~~ Good Law Project has paid ~~£539,766.19~~ in legal costs to HM Government, while HM Government has paid ~~£63,738.71~~ in legal costs to the Good Law Project. In financial year 2017-2018, no payments were made or received. In financial year 2018-2019, ~~£40,000.00~~ was paid to, and ~~£4,753.00~~ was received from, the Good Law Project. In financial year 2019-2020, £0 was paid to, and £59,013.19 was received from, the Good Law Project. In financial year 2020-2021, £0 was paid to, and ~~£10,000.00~~ was received from, the Good Law Project. In financial year 2021-2022, £0 was paid to, and ~~£270,000.00~~ was received from, the Good Law Project. In financial year 2022-2023, ~~£23,738.71~~ was paid to, and ~~£196,000.00~~ was received from, the Good Law Project. In financial year ~~2023-2024 to date, no payments have~~ been ~~made or received.~~	There were 42 case files opened in respect of actual court proceedings between His Majesty’s Government and the Good Law Project during the period since the start of the 2017-18 financial year. HM Government won 19 and lost 6, 7 cases were settled, and 9 cases were withdrawn by the Good Law Project. One has yet to deliver an outcome. In total, in regard to these 42 cases: The Good Law Project has paid £984,098.45 in legal costs to HM Government, while HM Government has paid £160,925.71 in legal costs to the Good Law Project. In financial year 2017-2018, no payments were made or received. In financial year 2018-2019, £40,000 was paid to, and £4,753 was received from, the Good Law Project. In financial year 2019-2020, £0 was paid to, and £59,013.19 was received from, the Good Law Project. In financial year 2020-2021, £85,000 was paid to, and £10,000 was received from, the Good Law Project. In financial year 2021-2022, £0 was paid to, and £286,000 was received from, the Good Law Project. In financial year 2022-2023, £35,925.71 was paid to, and £544,000 was received from, the Good Law Project. In financial year 2023-2024, £0 has been paid to, and £80,332.26 has been received from, the Good Law Project.

Original

Corrected

There were ~~52 cases against~~ His Majesty’s Government ~~in which~~ the Good Law Project ~~were involved as a party which concluded in~~ the period since the start of the 2017-18 financial year. HM Government won 14 and lost ~~2 of those cases, 15~~ cases were settled, and 31 cases withdrawn by the Good Law Project.
In total, ~~the~~ Good Law Project has paid ~~£539,766.19~~ in legal costs to HM Government, while HM Government has paid ~~£63,738.71~~ in legal costs to the Good Law Project.
In financial year 2017-2018, no payments were made or received.
In financial year 2018-2019, ~~£40,000.00~~ was paid to, and ~~£4,753.00~~ was received from, the Good Law Project.
In financial year 2019-2020, £0 was paid to, and £59,013.19 was received from, the Good Law Project.
In financial year 2020-2021, £0 was paid to, and ~~£10,000.00~~ was received from, the Good Law Project.
In financial year 2021-2022, £0 was paid to, and ~~£270,000.00~~ was received from, the Good Law Project.
In financial year 2022-2023, ~~£23,738.71~~ was paid to, and ~~£196,000.00~~ was received from, the Good Law Project.
In financial year ~~2023-2024 to date, no payments have~~ been ~~made or received.~~

There were 42 case files opened in respect of actual court proceedings between His Majesty’s Government and the Good Law Project during the period since the start of the 2017-18 financial year. HM Government won 19 and lost 6, 7 cases were settled, and 9 cases were withdrawn by the Good Law Project. One has yet to deliver an outcome.
In total, in regard to these 42 cases:
The Good Law Project has paid £984,098.45 in legal costs to HM Government, while HM Government has paid £160,925.71 in legal costs to the Good Law Project.
In financial year 2017-2018, no payments were made or received.
In financial year 2018-2019, £40,000 was paid to, and £4,753 was received from, the Good Law Project.
In financial year 2019-2020, £0 was paid to, and £59,013.19 was received from, the Good Law Project.
In financial year 2020-2021, £85,000 was paid to, and £10,000 was received from, the Good Law Project.
In financial year 2021-2022, £0 was paid to, and £286,000 was received from, the Good Law Project.
In financial year 2022-2023, £35,925.71 was paid to, and £544,000 was received from, the Good Law Project.
In financial year 2023-2024, £0 has been paid to, and £80,332.26 has been received from, the Good Law Project.

The question and answer on the Parliament website.

Receipt

Read from	https://questions-statements-api.parliament.uk/api/writtenquestions/questions/1671388?expandMember=true
Date read	15 October 2026
SHA-256	`8596c488d5b1dadcc65e31ff18d561b5105e057a48b38e9e98f8e00f1802d000`