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| Head of legal aid's pay rise an 'insult' to solicitors after fees fall 17.5% in last year | Head of legal aid's pay rise an 'insult' to solicitors after fees fall 17.5% in last year |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A pay rise of more than 10% for the head of the body that oversees legal aid has been described as an insult by solicitors whose fees have been slashed on his watch. | A pay rise of more than 10% for the head of the body that oversees legal aid has been described as an insult by solicitors whose fees have been slashed on his watch. |
| Matthew Coats, the chief executive of the Legal Aid Agency (LAA), saw his combined salary, bonuses and pension benefits rise from between £195,000 and £200,000 in 2014, to between £220,000 and £225,000 this year. | Matthew Coats, the chief executive of the Legal Aid Agency (LAA), saw his combined salary, bonuses and pension benefits rise from between £195,000 and £200,000 in 2014, to between £220,000 and £225,000 this year. |
| The figures are revealed in the LAA’s annual report, which shows that, while his basic salary was more than £140,000, he received up to £15,000 in bonuses and £65,000 in pension-related benefits. | The figures are revealed in the LAA’s annual report, which shows that, while his basic salary was more than £140,000, he received up to £15,000 in bonuses and £65,000 in pension-related benefits. |
| According to the report, Coats’ remuneration covers both his roles at the LAA and the Ministry of Justice, where he is director-general of corporate services. | According to the report, Coats’ remuneration covers both his roles at the LAA and the Ministry of Justice, where he is director-general of corporate services. |
| The sharp increase coincides with growing militancy among criminal legal aid lawyers, who are balloting this week on whether to stage mass walkouts in protest at cuts to their fees, which have fallen by 17.5% in the past year. They warn that the reduction will result in defendants receiving inadequate representation and in more miscarriages of justice. | The sharp increase coincides with growing militancy among criminal legal aid lawyers, who are balloting this week on whether to stage mass walkouts in protest at cuts to their fees, which have fallen by 17.5% in the past year. They warn that the reduction will result in defendants receiving inadequate representation and in more miscarriages of justice. |
| Last week, the MoJ decided to continue with the latest round of cuts to criminal legal aid fees, reducing by two-thirds the number of contracts for duty solicitors attending police stations and magistrates courts. | Last week, the MoJ decided to continue with the latest round of cuts to criminal legal aid fees, reducing by two-thirds the number of contracts for duty solicitors attending police stations and magistrates courts. |
| Jonathan Black, president of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association, told the Guardian: “This is an insult to those members of the profession who work late nights in police stations at reduced rates and who are facing job insecurity. | Jonathan Black, president of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association, told the Guardian: “This is an insult to those members of the profession who work late nights in police stations at reduced rates and who are facing job insecurity. |
| “As solicitors consider ... taking the most drastic of all steps to ensure that access to justice is not completely destroyed, the MoJ once again excel themselves by insensitively announcing the pay increase of £20k to the chief executive of the LAA, Matthew Coats, whose [income] will now reach an eye-watering £225,000 per annum. | “As solicitors consider ... taking the most drastic of all steps to ensure that access to justice is not completely destroyed, the MoJ once again excel themselves by insensitively announcing the pay increase of £20k to the chief executive of the LAA, Matthew Coats, whose [income] will now reach an eye-watering £225,000 per annum. |
| “We are told that the austerity measures mean that everyone must experience cuts ... No legal aid lawyer should earn more than the prime minister [but] Mr Coats’ salary equates to the salary of 10 solicitors made redundant as a result of the recent cuts. | “We are told that the austerity measures mean that everyone must experience cuts ... No legal aid lawyer should earn more than the prime minister [but] Mr Coats’ salary equates to the salary of 10 solicitors made redundant as a result of the recent cuts. |
| “He has marshalled through a policy that means many ordinary middle earners would have to struggle to pay for their own representation, even if exonerated, and advice centres close down. Perhaps if he and his colleagues had listened to the legal professions and implemented other ways of making savings there might not be so much anger, but at £225,000, we clearly have the most expensive civil servants in Europe.” | “He has marshalled through a policy that means many ordinary middle earners would have to struggle to pay for their own representation, even if exonerated, and advice centres close down. Perhaps if he and his colleagues had listened to the legal professions and implemented other ways of making savings there might not be so much anger, but at £225,000, we clearly have the most expensive civil servants in Europe.” |
| A Legal Aid Agency spokesperson said: “The chief executive’s take home pay increased by a third of one per cent last year. His terms of employment have not become more generous. | A Legal Aid Agency spokesperson said: “The chief executive’s take home pay increased by a third of one per cent last year. His terms of employment have not become more generous. |
| “The apparent change in overall remuneration is due entirely to a new estimate of pension benefit value. Each year, the consumer price index and other information is used to calculate a best estimate. | “The apparent change in overall remuneration is due entirely to a new estimate of pension benefit value. Each year, the consumer price index and other information is used to calculate a best estimate. |
| “However, these fluctuate from year to year - indeed the estimate for 2014/15 is only marginally higher than the estimate for 2012/13.” | “However, these fluctuate from year to year - indeed the estimate for 2014/15 is only marginally higher than the estimate for 2012/13.” |
| • The standfirst (summary) of this article was amended on 17 June 2015 to more accurately reflect the fact that £225,000 figure comprises Matthew Coates’ annual salary, bonus and pension payments. |