Law and Rights
Transforming legal aid:
Price Competitive Tendering (or PCT) was a central plank in the government's Transforming Legal Aid proposals. I say 'was' because it looks as though it has been dropped by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (Mr Chris Grayling) - BBC News 5th September. A revised consultation is to be issued and it will need careful reading and analysis. One feature of the revised proposal appears to be a phased cut in criminal legal aid fees. 'Very High Cost Criminal Cases' apart, legal aid fees are not especially generous at the moment and a severe cut - said to total 17.5% - may drive many practitioners away from legally aided criminal work. For more on this - see:
Twitter which shows an interview given by Grayling to The Times - Grayling does deal on legal aid cuts and Second page of the Law Section interview
Westminster Hall debate:
On 4th September, Parliament held a Westminster Hall debate on Criminal legal aid reforms and price competitive tendering.
The debate may now be read via the Parliament website HERE and it may be watched HERE.
Inefficiency and waste:
Another news item is in The Independent 5th September - Court failings scupper 500 cases a week which states:
More than 500 court cases are being thrown out or delayed each week due to failings by prosecutors or in the court system, it has been claimed. Government figures have shown that in total 106,859 cases before crown and magistrates? courts were dropped or delayed in 2012, costing an estimated £17.4m. Tony Arbour, Conservative London Assembly Member, said that 30,155 cases were delayed or thrown out because of court or prosecution failings, around 580 per week.
?In general, the court system is chaotic and even the basics are not in place which often means cases cannot go ahead.
?Trials fall apart because witnesses are not told when to turn up, the Crown Prosecution Service fails to receive police evidence, or barristers fail to call witnesses who are waiting in court into the witness box.
?Witnesses and victims can often be vulnerable, chaotic and disorganised. Often, they don?t want to attend court and just want to get on with their lives. Yet the court system does more to discourage these people from coming forward rather than encouraging them.?
Here is a matter which ought to receive the urgent attention of the Ministry of Justice; Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service and the Crown Prosecution Service. So far as Magistrates' Courts are concerned, the one 'constant' is that the Justices (JPs) are there daily, on time, ready and willing to serve. If only the rest of 'the system' were as reliable.
- Speaking To Witnesses In Court ~ Cps Consultation
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced a consultation on draft guidance for dealing with witnesses in court - Consultation on Draft CPS Guidance on Speaking to Witnesses at Court The CPS website notes that the Crown Prosecution Service is...
- Transforming Legal Aid: Next Steps ~ A New Consultation ~ The Fight For Fairness Is Not Over
As mentioned in the previous post, the government has published revised proposals for transforming legal aid - Ministry of Justice - Law Society and MoJ agree new proposals for criminal legal aid. The revised proposals may be read HERE and...
- European Convention At 60 ~ Legal Aid
Update 5th September - link to 4th September legal aid debate The European Convention: ?Human rights are inscribed in the hearts of people; they were there long before lawmakers drafted their first proclamation. Mary Robinson, Former United Nations High...
- Legal Aid - A Possible Shift In The Government's Position - Law Society's Alternative Proposals
Mr Chris Grayling MPUpdated 4th July - see addendum: Beset on all sides by criticism of plans to reform criminal legal aid and in advance of his appearance before the Justice Committee on 3rd July, the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor...
- Act Now To Try To Stop 'justice' Being Only For The Rich And Powerful
*** Please sign the e-petition on Legal Aid - the aim is to try to persuade Parliament to debate the Ministry of Justice plans to slash legal aid. Why should any Minister be allowed to seriously alter the rights of the British citizen just by stroke...
Law and Rights
Legal Aid ~ Westminster Hall debate ~ Inefficiency and waste
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| Chris Grayling MP |
Price Competitive Tendering (or PCT) was a central plank in the government's Transforming Legal Aid proposals. I say 'was' because it looks as though it has been dropped by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (Mr Chris Grayling) - BBC News 5th September. A revised consultation is to be issued and it will need careful reading and analysis. One feature of the revised proposal appears to be a phased cut in criminal legal aid fees. 'Very High Cost Criminal Cases' apart, legal aid fees are not especially generous at the moment and a severe cut - said to total 17.5% - may drive many practitioners away from legally aided criminal work. For more on this - see:
Law Society Gazette Grayling to announce U-turn on legal aid tendering
Twitter which shows an interview given by Grayling to The Times - Grayling does deal on legal aid cuts and Second page of the Law Section interview
Westminster Hall debate:
On 4th September, Parliament held a Westminster Hall debate on Criminal legal aid reforms and price competitive tendering.
The debate may now be read via the Parliament website HERE and it may be watched HERE.
Inefficiency and waste:
Another news item is in The Independent 5th September - Court failings scupper 500 cases a week which states:
More than 500 court cases are being thrown out or delayed each week due to failings by prosecutors or in the court system, it has been claimed. Government figures have shown that in total 106,859 cases before crown and magistrates? courts were dropped or delayed in 2012, costing an estimated £17.4m. Tony Arbour, Conservative London Assembly Member, said that 30,155 cases were delayed or thrown out because of court or prosecution failings, around 580 per week.
?In general, the court system is chaotic and even the basics are not in place which often means cases cannot go ahead.
?Trials fall apart because witnesses are not told when to turn up, the Crown Prosecution Service fails to receive police evidence, or barristers fail to call witnesses who are waiting in court into the witness box.
?Witnesses and victims can often be vulnerable, chaotic and disorganised. Often, they don?t want to attend court and just want to get on with their lives. Yet the court system does more to discourage these people from coming forward rather than encouraging them.?
Here is a matter which ought to receive the urgent attention of the Ministry of Justice; Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service and the Crown Prosecution Service. So far as Magistrates' Courts are concerned, the one 'constant' is that the Justices (JPs) are there daily, on time, ready and willing to serve. If only the rest of 'the system' were as reliable.
- Speaking To Witnesses In Court ~ Cps Consultation
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced a consultation on draft guidance for dealing with witnesses in court - Consultation on Draft CPS Guidance on Speaking to Witnesses at Court The CPS website notes that the Crown Prosecution Service is...
- Transforming Legal Aid: Next Steps ~ A New Consultation ~ The Fight For Fairness Is Not Over
As mentioned in the previous post, the government has published revised proposals for transforming legal aid - Ministry of Justice - Law Society and MoJ agree new proposals for criminal legal aid. The revised proposals may be read HERE and...
- European Convention At 60 ~ Legal Aid
Update 5th September - link to 4th September legal aid debate The European Convention: ?Human rights are inscribed in the hearts of people; they were there long before lawmakers drafted their first proclamation. Mary Robinson, Former United Nations High...
- Legal Aid - A Possible Shift In The Government's Position - Law Society's Alternative Proposals
Mr Chris Grayling MPUpdated 4th July - see addendum: Beset on all sides by criticism of plans to reform criminal legal aid and in advance of his appearance before the Justice Committee on 3rd July, the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor...
- Act Now To Try To Stop 'justice' Being Only For The Rich And Powerful
*** Please sign the e-petition on Legal Aid - the aim is to try to persuade Parliament to debate the Ministry of Justice plans to slash legal aid. Why should any Minister be allowed to seriously alter the rights of the British citizen just by stroke...