Competitive or best value tendering (BVT) for criminal defence legal aid work will be piloted before its full introduction in 2011, the Legal Services Commission (LSC) announced last week.

The scheme will be trialled in Avon and Somerset, and Manchester, in 2010. It was expected to be phased in from 2009.

The revised timetable follows the LSC’s consultation on BVT – with 95% of 202 respondents against it.

Carolyn Regan, LSC chief executive, claimed the introduction of BVT was not about reducing costs and said in some areas prices would rise.

Richard Miller, Law Society legal aid manager, said: ‘Refreshingly, the LSC does at least appear to be acknowledging the views of legal aid practitioners.’

Tan Ikram, president of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association, said: ‘It’s hard for practitioners to plan their businesses at this time of uncertainty and this announcement hasn’t cleared the mist.’