here - United Kingdom Parliament

1289W
Written Answers
6 JUNE 2013
Written Answers
1290W
accession agreement will not affect the situation of
member states in relation to the convention. It does not
change the competences of the EU or the powers of its
institutions.
Legal Aid Scheme
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for
Justice what assessment he has made of the potential
effect of the proposals outlined in his Department’s
consultation on transforming legal aid on the quality
of legal advice provided under legal aid. [156963]
Jeremy Wright: The Government has consulted on a
number of proposals to reform legal aid via the
‘Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible
and efficient system’ consultation which closed on 4
June 2013. This included proposed model of competitive
tendering for criminal legal aid services. We have been
clear we must continue to bear down on the cost of legal
aid, including the £1 billion of taxpayers’ money spent
on criminal legal aid a year, to ensure we are getting the
best deal for the taxpayer.
We are clear we will continue to uphold everyone’s
right to a fair trial—but that does not mean we should
not look again at how the system which provides this is
operated. Quality assured duty solicitors and lawyers
will still be available—just as they are now. The Legal
Aid Agency would ensure, as part of the tendering
process, that all providers are capable of delivering the
full range of criminal legal aid services under contract
across their procurement areas. Our proposals envisage
a quality review which is more extensive than that in the
current system.
The issue of quality is addressed further in the Criminal
litigation price competition impact assessment which
can be downloaded from the consultation web page:
https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/
transforming-legal-aid
In that impact assessment we comment on the potential
impact of quality by the removal of client choice.
We will consider the views we have received on the
proposed model of competition, including the impact
of those proposals on clients, provider and the wider
justice system.
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for
Justice if he will make an assessment of the compatibility
of the removal of client choice for criminal legal aid in
the criminal justice system with the United Nations’
Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid.
[157274]
Jeremy Wright: The Government has recently consulted
on a number of proposals to reform legal aid via the
“Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible
and efficient system” consultation which closed on 4
June 2013. This includes a proposed model of competitive
tendering for criminal legal aid services. As confirmed
in that consultation paper, against a background of
continuing pressure on public finances, we need to
continue to bear down on the cost of legal aid, including
the £1 billion of taxpayers’ money spent on criminal
legal aid a year.
We are clear we will continue to uphold everyone’s
right to a fair trial. Quality assured lawyers will still be
available—just as they are now. The Legal Aid Agency
would ensure as part of the tendering process that all
providers are capable of delivering the full range of
criminal legal aid services under contract across their
procurement areas.
The Government considers that the proposals are
compatible with the United Nations Principles and
Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice
Systems.
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for
Justice whether he plans to cap the number of cases
receiving access to legal aid in each of the 42 procurement
areas set out in the Transforming Legal Aid review.
[157325]
Jeremy Wright: The Government has consulted on a
number of proposals to reform legal aid via the
‘Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible
and efficient system’ consultation which closed on 4
June 2013. This included proposed model of competitive
tendering for criminal legal aid services. We have been
clear we must continue to bear down on the cost of legal
aid, including the £1 billion of taxpayers’ money spent
on criminal legal aid a year, to ensure we are getting the
best deal for the taxpayer.
The proposals, if implemented, would not see an
introduction of a cap for Criminal Legal Aid and, as
such, Criminal Legal Aid will continue to be available
for all eligible persons should they require it in all 42
procurement areas.
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for
Justice what steps he plans to take to mitigate any risks
to the quality of service received by legal aid recipients
through the proposed removal of client choice. [157450]
Jeremy Wright: The Government has consulted on a
number of proposals to reform legal aid via the
‘Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible
and efficient system’ consultation which closed on 4
June 2013. This included proposed model of competitive
tendering for criminal legal aid services. We have been
clear we must continue to bear down on the cost of legal
aid, including the £1 billion of taxpayers’ money spent
on criminal legal aid a year, to ensure we are getting the
best deal for the taxpayer.
Quality assured duty solicitors and lawyers will still
be available—just as they are now. The Legal Aid
Agency would ensure as part of the tendering process
that all providers are capable of delivering the full range
of criminal legal aid services under contract across their
procurement areas. Our proposals envisage a quality
review which is more extensive than that in the current
system.
Offenders: Rehabilitation
Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for
Justice on what dates the provisions in the Legal Aid,
Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
relating to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
were initially scheduled to enter into force; whether this
date has subsequently been changed; and for what
reason any such change has been made. [157027]