Legal Aid

Baroness Deech Excerpts

Monday 3rd June 2013 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Deech]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the impact of cuts in legal aid on access to justice.

[Baroness Deech]

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper. I declare an interest as a regulator of the Bar, but not its representative.

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally)]

My Lords, these matters were assessed as part of the impact assessments which were published alongside the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, and our current consultation on further reforms to legal aid, Transforming Legal Aid: Delivering a More Credible and Efficient System.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Deech]

Does the Minister acknowledge that it is widely regarded that the Ministry’s own impact assessment on that consultation paper does not adequately address the threat to the vulnerable and to minorities? Has he calculated the extra costs to the justice system of the longer trials and appeals which will inevitably result from inadequate representation, inexperienced advocates and self-representing litigants? Does he agree that the delays and miscarriages of justice that are likely to result will more than swallow up all the estimated savings?

[Lord McNally]

No, my Lords. The noble Baroness puts forward a worst-case scenario in almost every aspect—one which I do not recognise.