“The government’s embattled legal aid bill has suffered its ninth defeat in the House of Lords as peers voted against the mandatory use of telephone advice lines.”
The Guardian, 14th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“MPs will face a ‘rising tide of need’ from constituents with unmet legal needs if the government’s legal aid cuts are implemented, according to a report published today [14 March] by the Young Legal Aid Lawyers (YLAL) group.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 14th March 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“Ministers are pushing for people to take out insurance to cover themselves in the event of catastrosphic events as a replacement for legal aid, documents obtained by the Guardian reveal.”
The Guardian, 13th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Government plans for saving £350m a year in legal aid expenses suffered fresh defeats in the House of Lords after peers overturned a series of cost-saving proposals.”
The Guardian, 7th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Government attempts to save £350m by limiting the availability of legal aid have suffered a succession of defeats in the House of Lords.”
The Guardian, 5th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The government has made two key concessions demanded by opponents of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders bill, days before the legislation enters report stage in the House of Lords.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 29th February 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“The Crown Prosecution Service, the Met and the Home Office have all recently been forced to pay out compensation to children. In one case, a teenage witness was put at risk; in the other 40 asylum seekers were locked up in adult units. All three organisations have sought to reassure the public that policy and procedures have changed as a result. But what would have happened to these cases had the legal aid bill (Laspo), now approaching report stage in the Lords, already become law?”
The Guardian, 27th February 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“‘The single biggest attack on access to justice since the legal aid system was introduced’. That’s the view of the Law Society on the government’s controversial proposals to reform the civil justice system in England and Wales. But the government argue that the legal aid system has become unaffordable and along with no win no fee has helped create a litigious society. They say the current system is a boon for lawyers, while draining resources from organisations like the NHS and leaving many small businesses in fear of legal action. The Government are planning to scrap legal aid in some areas and make fundamental changes to no-win no fee. The aim is to bring down costs and encourage alternatives to going to court. But the bill to introduce these changes has been having a rocky ride in Parliament and there is widespread opposition to the reforms. Advice centres, lawyers and even some from the government’s own benches say the changes will deny justice for vulnerable people, and will ultimately end up costing the government more money. In the first programme of a new series of Law in Action, Joshua Rozenberg examines the arguments and the likely impact of the contentious changes.”
BBC Law in Action, 21st February 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“So far the government has made two concessions on the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill (‘the Legal Aid Bill’), currently in the committee stage of the House of Lords. It seems more concessions might be on the way before the bill is approved.”
LAG News Blog, 3rd February 2012
“Further concessions may be made by the government on controversial areas of the legal aid bill, the minister steering the legislation through parliament signalled on Thursday.”
The Guardian, 2nd February 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Law centres will close, leaving ‘many thousands’ of the poor and marginalised without access to justice if the government’s legal aid cuts are implemented, peers have warned.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd February 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“The Law Society vice-president has outlined initiatives to bolster access to justice following the government’s proposed legal aid reforms – but stressed that Chancery Lane has not given up its opposition to the cuts.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd February 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“Tomorrow, 1st February, is the start date for new contracts for family and housing with family practitioners.”
Legal Aid Handbook, 31st January 2012
Source: www.legalaidhandbook.com
“Victims of oil spills, pollution or land grabs in developing countries will no longer be able to pursue claims in British courts against multinational corporations under legal reforms being pushed through by the government, aid charities have warned.”
The Guardian, 30th January 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The government has abandoned its controversial plan to pave the way for the means-testing of legal advice for suspects detained in police stations.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 26th January 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“One of the most controversial elements of the government’s legal aid bill – the means testing of suspects held in police stations – has been abandoned following a critical late-night debate in the House of Lords.”
The Guardian, 25th January 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Many victims of domestic violence will be unable to obtain legal help in future to help them escape from abusive relationships, according to a report by women’s groups.”
The Guardian, 18th January 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
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