A cross-party group of MPs will hear directly from representatives for the solicitors’ profession on why they feel pushed towards taking unprecedented action over legal aid funding.
As the Ministry of Justice prepares to publish its full response to the Bellamy review, Richard Miller, head of justice at the Law Society, and the Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association’s Daniel Bonich and Kerry Morgan will give evidence to the House of Commons justice select committee tomorrow on the future of legal aid.
Much has happened since the committee’s last report on legal aid, which called for significant reform: the Bellamy review was published, the government’s initial legal aid offer sparked widespread outrage and the criminal bar went on strike – ending after lord chancellor Brandon Lewis adopted a more conciliatory tone than his predecessor, Dominic Raab, and struck a new deal with the Criminal Bar Association.
Miller is expected to explain why Chancery Lane is on the brink of advising members to shun criminal legal aid work. The Society has long argued that the government’s reform package represents an overall 9% increase for solicitors.
Of the extra £54m offered under the deal to the criminal bar, £19m will be earmarked for solicitors and further uplifts will be announced. The Ministry of Justice says solicitors will also benefit from an annual £5m uplift for youth court fees. However, the Society said the further investment is mainly a one-off and does not raise rates in the long term, so solicitors have well below the 15% increase that barristers are receiving.
Bonich and Morgan will explain why the CLSA is instructing counsel to advise on the legal implications and practical options for criminal legal aid solicitors to unionise.
Unlike their self-employed colleagues at the bar, solicitors are unable to ‘strike’ due to their contractual obligations. However, the CLSA says the revised offer to the criminal bar shows industrial action is the only way to secure a better deal.
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