Wednesday 7 November 2001

The Scottish Parliament Justice 1 Committee's Legal Aid Inquiry published today, has been welcomed by the Scottish Legal Aid Board, the non-departmental public body responsible for administering legal aid in Scotland.

Jean Couper, Chairman of the Scottish Legal Aid Board said:
"The Board very much welcomes publication of the Justice Committee's Legal Aid Inquiry Report. Legal aid is of benefit to a great many people in Scotland and the Committee has set out a number of interesting proposals to improve access to justice through legal aid."

"The Board submitted written and oral evidence to the Inquiry and we are pleased that the Committee has reflected on the issues we raised. The Board will carefully consider the specific recommendations made by the Committee to the Board on operational issues."

"With the support of Ministers, the Board is making further progress in improving legal aid provision in some of the areas of concern to the Committee, such as special urgency cases and the repayment period for contributions."

"The Board has carried out research on why civil legal aid applications have fallen over the past eight years. This has been submitted to Ministers and will be published very shortly."

"The Board will continue to work in partnership and co-operation with others involved in the justice system to make the system more efficient and effective, and, most importantly, assist in providing improved access to justice for those who need it. The Board will play its full part in implementing the agreed recommendations to enhance access to justice through a range of legal aid services."

There have been a number of significant developments to legal aid announced in the last month:

• The Board was delighted when Ministers announced (on 26 October) their agreement to the Board's proposals to make two significant changes to civil legal aid, to special urgency cases and by extending the payment period for those making contributions towards civil legal aid to 20 months. The change in cases of special urgency, where payment by instalment to the Board will end the current practise of the "notional" contribution being paid up-front to the solicitor, was particularly significant to certain vulnerable groups such as victims of domestic violence.
• Four innovative projects from across Scotland launched on 11 October heralded the start of a programme of developing new approaches to delivering legal advice and improving access to justice. The four pilot projects aim to make legal advice more accessible by adapting to non-traditional legal settings and delivering services in new and different ways, whilst giving the Board and others a unique insight into different ways of providing legal advice. Solicitors will be employed directly by the Board to work in partnership with the local advice giving organisations. The four projects announced were:
  • Castlemilk Law and Money Advice Centre and the Ethnic Minorities Law Centre in Glasgow will provide advice and representation to clients throughout the asylum process at outreach surgeries
    
  • Citizens Advice Bureaux Service - the Inverness based solicitor will serve six bureaux in 13 locations in the Highlands and Islands by providing a second tier advisory service through training and support for CAB advisors
    
  • Streetwork - working with some of the most socially excluded people in the community, the project will provide legal advice to young people and rough sleepers at risk on the streets in Edinburgh.
    
  • West Lothian Advice Partnership - brings together the expertise of all the major advice providers in West Lothian, providing advice and support to socially excluded people.

Eligibility, fee rates and regulations are matters for the Scottish Executive and Parliament to consider. The Board is responsible for administration of legal aid. In 2000/2001 425,281 advice and assistance and legal aid applications were granted and the total gross expenditure on legal aid was £130.5 million.

Ends

Journalists please contact: Colin Sim tel 0131 226 7061,  email simco@slab.org.uk

Notes to editors

1. Details of the recent changes to civil legal aid are available from the Board and on the web site www.slab.org.uk. It is anticipated that the civil legal aid research report will be published within the next week.
2. Legal aid allows people who would not otherwise be able to afford it to have the help of a solicitor, and in some circumstances an advocate, for their legal problems. To receive legal aid, applicants must consult a solicitor who will help them complete an application. The Board itself does not provide a legal aid service - it pays solicitors and advocates to do this.
3. The Scottish Legal Aid Board is responsible for managing legal aid in Scotland. It is a non-departmental public body set up under the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986.
4. The Board's mission is to develop and deliver appropriate access to quality legal assistance for those eligible, in a cost-effective manner. The Board's main tasks are to consider and then grant or refuse applications for legal aid; to scrutinise accounts and pay solicitors and advocates for the legal aid work they do and to advise Scottish Ministers on legal aid matters.