Llanelli police station fee uplift
Gazette, Solicitors Journal, Business Fast, Business Mayor and local newspapers including Pembrokeshire Herald and Carmarthenshire News Online report the MoJ have approved a police station fee uplift for criminal legal aid solicitors in Llanelli, Wales, after the fees for four major legal aid firms were slashed by 25% overnight last month.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said:
“We are pleased to see that the Ministry of Justice has responded to our calls to restore fees to their previous rates for the four affected law firms.
“Duty solicitors work hard with very little resources to help people at crisis point. We were concerned the arbitrary cuts to their fees would be the death knell for legal aid in an area that has long been considered an advice desert for criminal practitioners.
“Our members told us that the fee cuts meant it was no longer economically viable for the law firms covering this part of Wales to provide criminal legal aid. The MoJ has righted the wrong so that law firms in West Wales can continue to provide this service to the area.
“This is a specific example of the national crisis facing our criminal justice system and how it devastates local justice.”
Gareth Jones, a criminal law committee member and partner at one of the affected firms, said:
“We welcome the U-turn by the ministry of justice regarding the fees at Dafen custody unit. It has been a difficult few months for us as a firm to deal with this sudden and unexpected reduction in our Police Station call-out fees.
“We hope this is just the start and that UK Government will commit to further investment in criminal legal aid and put an end to the ever growing legal advice deserts not just here in West Wales but throughout the country.”
Renters (Reform) Bill
Property Wire and Property 118 continue coverage of the Law Society’s response to the delay to the Renters (Reform) Bill.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson is quoted, saying:
“A ban on ‘no-fault’ evictions is a critical step in reforming the rental market and strengthening renters’ rights. This delay is yet another consequence of the government’s longstanding failure to invest adequately in the justice system, including courts, judges and legal aid.”
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