Legal Aid to be cut
This week the new Justice Secretary, Kenneth Clarke, announced the biggest reforms to the Legal Aid system since it was founded.
Reform of Legal Aid has been due for some time, and even Labour acknowledged they would have cut spending on Legal Aid had they been returned to government.
However, the legal profession itself is surprised at the scale of cuts being proposed.
The news is covered in detail on the BBC website, with further information on where the cuts will fall and will not fall:
Legal aid will be cut for a wide range of civil cases, including:
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Divorce, welfare benefits and school exclusion appeals
Employment
Immigration where the person is not detained
Clinical negligence and personal injury
Legal aid funding will continue for:
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Asylum cases
Mental health cases
Debt and housing matters where someone’s home is at immediate risk
Family law cases involving domestic violence, forced marriage or child abduction
As the Telegraph’s Neil O’Brien reports, there have been a number of attempts by successive governments to reform Legal Aid, not least to reduce the bill from it’s current £2.1 billion cost.
And he even argues that cuts can go further.
However, with more than 30 consultations over the past 15 years, it remains to be seen just how successful the current coalition government plans will be.