News

Monday 28 December 2009: David Taylor MP
The Legal Aid Practitioners Group and Young Legal Aid Lawyers are very sad to hear about the death of David Taylor MP. He was a distinguished Member of Parliament and one of the first members of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Legal Aid. We send to our deepest sympathy to his family and friends.

Wednesday 9 December 2009: Parliementary question on legal aid impact test
Karen Buck MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Legal Aid asked:
"To ask the Secretary of State for Justice:
(1) what assessment has been made of the efficacy of the legal aid impact test;
(2) what guidance his Department provides to other departments on completing the legal aid impact test; and what models and analysis are used to assess the impact of proposed legislation on the legal aid budget; and
(3) what research his Department has conducted into the effectiveness of the legal aid impact test?"
See response from Bridget Prentice (Under Secretary of State for Justice) HERE.

Thursday 22 October 2009: MOJ consultation 'Legal aid: refocusing on priority cases'
The deadline for responses was 8 October but we are still working with other groups, in particular Public Law Project, to argue against the proposals.  We have had one meeting with the Ministry of Justice and LSC about this so far and will have another one next week to raise outstanding issues.  See the consultation paper here:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/docs/legal-aid-refocusing-on-priority-cases-consultation.pdf

Tuesday 13 October 2009: Magee Review announced
The government has announced a review of legal aid delivery to be conducted by Sir Ian Magee: http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease131009a.htm. The review will consider the potential separation of the criminal and civil legal aid budgets. Sir Ian will report in January 2010.