Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at on 13 March 2019.
As Alasdair Allan said, there is very limited legal aid provision in the islands, with the result that most people who seek representation now have to look south. Despite what the minister said, SLAB’s reluctance to fund travel means that clients often meet their lawyer only on the day of the court hearing. Therefore, I ask the minister to work with the panel to ensure that the provision of legal aid can be island proofed to ensure that my constituents have access to the legal assistance that they need.