Law and Rights
The Legal Aid Agency has published its business plan for 2014-15 - (pdf - 45 pages). This document seems to me to be more about achieving major financial savings than actually achieving justice. Of course, the Agency is only obeying orders and certainly appears to be doing so with a considerable amount of enthusiasm! Here is a flavour:
"The ongoing Legal Aid Transformation (LAT) programme continues to play a major part in the MoJ reform agenda. LAT will deliver a reformed legal aid system which costs the taxpayer less and commands the confidence of the public. Working with MoJ policy colleagues we have already begun to deliver reforms to criminal and civil legal aid services which are expected to deliver around an additional £215m of savings by 2018/19. We have implemented the first two tranches of these reforms including changes to civil and family legal aid fees, introducing a Crown Court eligibility threshold to remove legal aid for the wealthiest defendants, and restricting legal aid for prison law."
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Law and Rights
Legal Aid Agency - Business Plan 2014 to 2015
The Legal Aid Agency has published its business plan for 2014-15 - (pdf - 45 pages). This document seems to me to be more about achieving major financial savings than actually achieving justice. Of course, the Agency is only obeying orders and certainly appears to be doing so with a considerable amount of enthusiasm! Here is a flavour:
"The ongoing Legal Aid Transformation (LAT) programme continues to play a major part in the MoJ reform agenda. LAT will deliver a reformed legal aid system which costs the taxpayer less and commands the confidence of the public. Working with MoJ policy colleagues we have already begun to deliver reforms to criminal and civil legal aid services which are expected to deliver around an additional £215m of savings by 2018/19. We have implemented the first two tranches of these reforms including changes to civil and family legal aid fees, introducing a Crown Court eligibility threshold to remove legal aid for the wealthiest defendants, and restricting legal aid for prison law."
- Despair And Not A Lot Of Hope ...!
Rarely, if ever, has a British government engaged in such an assault on justice than the present coalition. The brunt of the assault applies to England and Wales since justice matters are mostly devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland. (The...
- Means Test For Crown Court Legal Aid
Even where a defendant is found not guilty, he or she may face ruinous costs after acquittal. Nigel Evans MP (pictured), a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, was acquitted of serious sexual offences - BBC News 10th April 2014. Mr Evans was...
- Money, Money, Money ... Just Where Is Justice Heading?
Chris Grayling MP - Sec. of State for JusticeThe famous group ABBA sang "Money money money" and money seems to be all that HM Government is concerned with rather than trying to make sensible attempts to bear down on costs without destroying services in...
- The Queen's Speech - A Lot To Do
The State Opening of Parliament was held on Tuesday 25th May with the usual pomp and pageantry. The real business of Parliament now begins and interesting days lie ahead. The Queen's Speech contained 23 Bills (and one draft Bill) - see...
- It Looks Like A Dismal Picture For Legal Services And For Justice
24th March saw the final budget of the Labour Government elected in 2005. On top of recently announced closures of 20 magistrates' courts, the Ministry of Justice published plans to make further substantial savings - see Ministry of Justice. ...