How the duty plan works

Please contact Tracy Brown, Duty Plans Officer, on 0131 240 1945 or by email if you are interested in being included in the police station duty plan or apply by completing the Police duty application form here and return to Tracy Brown with a copy of your practising certificate.

The duty plan is not published on our website and is only used by the Solicitor Contact Line when someone requires advice in a police station.

Fees and arrangements for police station work

The commencement of Part 1 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 and supporting legal aid regulations altered police station advice.

New police station fees and a simplified advice and assistance intimation and payment system were introduced on 25 January 2018 following consultation with the profession.

Police station work is now covered by these increased fees on a predominantly fixed or block fee basis. The fee structure was changed to block fees to be more efficient for solicitors.

You can view an archived version of the information that we sent to solicitors about these fees at the time of the changes.

Providing police station advice

We have summarised some of the queries solicitors had when Part 1 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 was introduced. Please contact Kingsley Thomas, Head of Criminal Legal Assistance, thomaski@slab.org.uk if you need any more information.

  • What happens if my client asks for a consultation with me?
  • What happens if my client asks for me to be present at interview?
  • What happens if someone asks for a duty solicitor at interview?
  • What happens if someone asks for a consultation with a duty solicitor?
  • What happens if intimation is to be made to a solicitor?
  • What happens if someone arrested on a non-appearance warrant needs advice?
  • Police Scotland guidance and forms

Practical information for duty solicitors

  • As a duty solicitor am I obliged to undertake police station advice?
  • Do I have to attend the police station within an hour?
  • Providing the police with your chosen out-of-hours number
  • What police reference number do I need for an A&A intimation and claim?
  • Does the client need to sign any form for police station advice?
  • Do I still need to be on the Police Station Duty plan to claim for advice and assistance given to my own clients?
  • Do I still need an A&A increase before attending a police station?
  • Attendances for vulnerable clients
  • VIPER procedure
  • Attendance at interviews conducted by other organisations
  • Can I be paid for waiting time at a police station?
  • Travel
  • Voluntary attendance at police station by client
  • How do I submit a claim if I initially advised my client by telephone and the attended for an interview, or if the interview was cancelled or rescheduled?
  • Is there a time limit to send you notification that I’ve granted A&A for police station advice?
  • When should I tick the ‘midnight’ box when submitting a claim?