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| Government may back down on legal aid reforms | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The Ministry of Justice is preparing to announce significant concessions this week in its proposals to reform criminal legal aid. | The Ministry of Justice is preparing to announce significant concessions this week in its proposals to reform criminal legal aid. |
| Speculation is growing that the government will back down on unpopular plans to introduce price-competitive tendering in contracts for solicitors to represent defendants in courts and police stations. | Speculation is growing that the government will back down on unpopular plans to introduce price-competitive tendering in contracts for solicitors to represent defendants in courts and police stations. |
| Intensive talks have continued throughout the summer between the Law Society, which represents solicitors in England and Wales, and MoJ officials in an attempt to render the reforms more acceptable to the legal profession. Chris Grayling, the justice secretary, has been closely involved. | Intensive talks have continued throughout the summer between the Law Society, which represents solicitors in England and Wales, and MoJ officials in an attempt to render the reforms more acceptable to the legal profession. Chris Grayling, the justice secretary, has been closely involved. |
| The announcement, due on Thursday, is expected to launch a fresh consultation on a redesigned set of measures. The same savings of £220m are still being sought. The money may now have to come through cuts to fees. | The announcement, due on Thursday, is expected to launch a fresh consultation on a redesigned set of measures. The same savings of £220m are still being sought. The money may now have to come through cuts to fees. |
| What is likely to disappear, or appear possibly as only one option among others, is the introduction of price-competitive tendering, which lawyers fear will enable large-scale service providers such as G4S to take over work from local firms of solicitors. | What is likely to disappear, or appear possibly as only one option among others, is the introduction of price-competitive tendering, which lawyers fear will enable large-scale service providers such as G4S to take over work from local firms of solicitors. |
| One new firm, Stobart Barristers, a subsidiary of the trucking conglomerate, has already expressed interest in bidding for new contracts through a price-competitive tendering process in order to cut out the need for solicitors. | One new firm, Stobart Barristers, a subsidiary of the trucking conglomerate, has already expressed interest in bidding for new contracts through a price-competitive tendering process in order to cut out the need for solicitors. |
| Replying to a Westminster Hall debate in parliament on Wednesday morning, the justice minister Jeremy Wright confirmed that his department had received nearly 16,000 responses to its initial consultation. | Replying to a Westminster Hall debate in parliament on Wednesday morning, the justice minister Jeremy Wright confirmed that his department had received nearly 16,000 responses to its initial consultation. |
| He told MPs: "It's important that we listen. We have done that. [Members] will see the fruits of that when we are able to respond to the consultation, which we will do as soon as possible." | He told MPs: "It's important that we listen. We have done that. [Members] will see the fruits of that when we are able to respond to the consultation, which we will do as soon as possible." |
| On the question of whether price-competitive tendering would still be supported, he announced: "This is a crucial question – should we deal with legal aid reform in this way?" The minister went out of his way to accuse Labour of supporting the scheme until recently, a jibe that would have a greater sting if the government were preparing to abandon that position. | On the question of whether price-competitive tendering would still be supported, he announced: "This is a crucial question – should we deal with legal aid reform in this way?" The minister went out of his way to accuse Labour of supporting the scheme until recently, a jibe that would have a greater sting if the government were preparing to abandon that position. |
| The Law Society confirmed that there had been intensive talks with the MoJ over the summer. "The Law Society has not had a summer holiday," an official said. "We have had meetings on a weekly basis all through the break." | The Law Society confirmed that there had been intensive talks with the MoJ over the summer. "The Law Society has not had a summer holiday," an official said. "We have had meetings on a weekly basis all through the break." |
| Defending the need for savings, an MoJ spokesperson said: "At around £2bn a year we have one of the most expensive legal aid systems in the world. At a time when everyone is having to tighten their belts we cannot close our eyes to the fact legal aid is costing too much and has mushroomed into something far bigger than it was intended to be. | Defending the need for savings, an MoJ spokesperson said: "At around £2bn a year we have one of the most expensive legal aid systems in the world. At a time when everyone is having to tighten their belts we cannot close our eyes to the fact legal aid is costing too much and has mushroomed into something far bigger than it was intended to be. |
| "We are clear we must protect everyone's right to a fair trial, and our proposals would do just that. Lawyers would still be available to anyone needing advice or charged with a crime, just as they are now. The justice secretary has been very clear this is a genuine consultation and that he expects a short period of further consultation on certain changes, for example how to add client choice. This is expected to be published imminently." | "We are clear we must protect everyone's right to a fair trial, and our proposals would do just that. Lawyers would still be available to anyone needing advice or charged with a crime, just as they are now. The justice secretary has been very clear this is a genuine consultation and that he expects a short period of further consultation on certain changes, for example how to add client choice. This is expected to be published imminently." |