“Getting additional money into criminal legal aid as quickly as possible is a step in the right direction, but it has to be recognised the cost-of-living is outstripping the extra funding being offered,” said Law Society of England and Wales president Richard Atkinson.
“The criminal justice system is a vital public service, and legal aid solicitors play an important role in ensuring there is a level playing field so that everyone can access justice regardless of their financial situation.
“Expert advice from solicitors from the very start of cases at the police station through to the courts helps the system run smoothly and reduces delays. It makes the job of the police easier while ensuring suspects and defendants are treated fairly and avoids the impact of unrepresented defendants on a growing backlog in the courts.
“But there are fewer and fewer legal aid solicitors** undertaking criminal law work, putting access to justice at threat which will have a detrimental impact on all parts of the system from police to the courts.
”There is a real danger that people will not be able to get legal representation when charged with a crime, heightening the risk of miscarriages of justice.
“If they are to see a viable long-term future in this vital work, solicitors will need hard evidence that the decades of neglect are well and truly over, and that this is not just an isolated bright spot in an otherwise long-term decline.
“We look forward to further discussions on fee structures and incentives once the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts and Independent Sentencing Review are published.”
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