New government contracts reversed a downward trend in the number of providers doing criminal legal aid work, government figures reveal – however, numbers have started to fall again.

After telling the House of Commons justice select committee in January that the number of providers and duty solicitors had increased since new crime contracts came into force last October, justice minister Mike Freer was asked to provide the figures demonstrating the increase, which would enable the committee to see the data in context and examine the trend over time.

The figures are provided in correspondence published by the committee last week.

In April 2021, there were 1,090 providers – a figure that gradually drops to 1,039 in September 2022. In October 2022, when the new contracts came into force, the number rose to 1,141. However, it fell the following month and stood at 1,127 In January 2023.

Dolgellau village centre, Gwynedd, Wales

Dolgellau is one of seven areas where there are fewer than four duty solicitors

Source: Alamy

The new contracts reversed a downward trend in office numbers. There were 1,589 offices in April 2021, gradually falling to 1,499 in September 2022. The following month, when the new contracts began, the number of offices rose to 1,774. However, it fell the following month and stood at 1,700 in January 2023.

Duty solicitor data shows there were 4,446 in April 2021, falling to 4,361 in October 2021, 4,222 in April 2022, and 3,813 in October 2022, when the new contracts came into force. However, the number climbed to 4,023 in January 2023.

Freer said in his letter that duty solicitor numbers are fixed when new rotas are issued and are not adjusted until the next rota is prepared. Where a duty solicitor leaves mid-rota, the provider retains the slot until the next rota. Rotas normally last six months, but run for three months at the beginning of new contracts to allow anyone who missed the opportunity to join the first rota to join the second.

The letter also reveals that the seven areas the committee was told there were fewer than four duty solicitors are: Dolgellau, North Ceredigion/South Ceredigion, Newtown (Mid Wales), Pembrokeshire, Barnstaple, Skegness, and Berwick & Alnwick.

Freer told the committee in January that early indications suggested the new contracts had brought ‘stability and sustainability’ back into the system and he did not share the Law Society’s ‘dystopian view’ that numbers were just on a downward spiral.

 

This article is now closed for comment.