Clause 1 - Extent of duty to fund advice and assistance
Criminal Defence Service (Advice and Assistance) Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
Mr John Burnett (Torridge and West Devon, Liberal Democrat)
I, too, welcome you to the chairmanship of the Committee, Mr. Sayeed. I have not had the privilege of serving under your aegis before.
I will be interested to hear the Minister's response to the questions asked by the hon. and learned Member for Harborough.
The principal practitioners who will provide the duty solicitor service at our magistrates courts will, of course, be private practitioners. The hon. and learned Gentleman referred to the state of war between the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Law Society about the contracts being negotiated to provide the service. Will the Minister tell us how those negotiations are proceeding? When does he believe that they will be concluded, and what are the main points of tension and disagreement in relation to the contract? Is there a chance that the Lord Chancellor's Department will take steps to overcome those points of disagreement and tension?
When we debated this little Bill in the House on 26 February 2001 I referred to the Scottish pilot scheme for the salaried defender service. I am told that the operating costs are well in excess of the budget for that scheme. What is the excess? Does the Minister believe that that alternative state, or salaried, defender system is likely to be more cost effective and greater value for money than the existing service, provided by private practitioners?