Criminal Legal Aid
Debate between Sarah Champion and Shailesh Vara(8 years, 10 months ago)
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Mr Vara
My hon. Friend is right to say that the Lord Chancellor should be commended. Mark Fenhalls, QC, the chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, said yesterday:
“It takes courage to make such decisions.”
Perhaps the hon. Member for Hammersmith will reflect on that sentiment.
The Lord Chancellor has his advisory board, and he will be working with the profession to ensure that as we progress further, the public will benefit, and the taxpayer who funds the legal aid budget will gain the maximum possible value.
Sarah Champion (Rotherham) (Lab)
Steve Hynes, director of the Legal Action group, has said:
“In its planning and execution the MoJ has demonstrated shocking incompetence with this tender exercise.”
Will the Minister now launch a review of his own Department’s competence?
Mr Vara
I appreciate that the announcement was made a relatively short time ago, and that the hon. Lady has probably not had an opportunity to hear what the profession has said. The profession has wholeheartedly welcomed the proposals, and I think she should note those comments, rather than individual comments.