Book Description

This report examines the Government's proposals for radical reform of the Legal Aid system, as set out in the Government's White Paper (Cm. 6993, ISBN 9780101699327) published in November 2006. These proposals follow on from three other documents: i) the Government's long-term strategy for legal aid 'A fairer deal for legal aid' published in July 2005 (Cm 6591, ISBN 9780101659123); ii) the recommendations of the independent review of legal aid procurement undertaken by Lord Carter of Coles (details are available at www.legalaidprocurementreview.gov.uk/publications.htm) published in July 2006; and iii) a consultation paper jointly issued by the Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Legal Services Commission (details available at www.dca.gov.uk/consult/legal-aidsf/sustainable-future.htm) published in July 2006. The Government plans to change the basis on which Legal Aid is to be procured by introducing a transitional system of fixed and graduated fees for cases (rather than payment on an hourly basis as is the practice now in many areas of legal aid work) as a way of preparing for full competitive tendering for Legal Aid contracts by solicitors. Overall, the Committee finds that while it supports the fundamental aims of the reforms and recognises that there is an urgent necessity to limit Legal Aid expenditure, the Government has introduced these plans too quickly, in too rigid a way and with insufficient evidence.