It may be a small step, but one to be welcomed – the Government’s proposals to remove Legal Aid in family and other areas of civil law was roundly criticized and has led to defeats in the House of Lords recently.
The changes would leave some without access to a lawyer, although the Government has said that support will still be available to those whose human rights are at risk or who have been the victim of excesses of power by the state.
However, for those who fear the imposition of Clauses 12 to 18, the reforms for publicly funded criminal defence lawyers still loom large, potentially removing the right to a lawyer when in custody or indeed the complete removal of the ‘interest of justice’ test, or allowing the question of whether someone should receive legal aid to be considered by the LSC (over the phone).
It is unlikely the full ramifications of these and the other changes will be apparent until too late.
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