Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 15 May 2024.
Liam McArthur
Liberal Democrat
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its engagement with stakeholders in the legal sector regarding the provision of legal aid. (S6O-03435)
Siobhian Brown
Scottish National Party
“The Vision for Justice in Scotland: Three Year Delivery Plan” contains an action to reform the legal aid system and to engage with key stakeholders to inform and shape future legislative proposals. Any future proposals will build on the Martyn Evans review recommendations and subsequent public consultation. Officials will engage in a series of stakeholder engagement sessions.
I jointly chair a working group with the Law Society of Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates that has been convened to consider the future of the legal profession in Scotland, and I regularly meet the Law Society and the Faculty of Advocates. I recently met the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association, and provision of legal aid was discussed.
Liam McArthur
Liberal Democrat
Over recent years, there has been a marked drop in the availability of criminal legal aid. Figures published by the Scottish Legal Aid Board show that there are now no private solicitors taking part in either the court or the police station duty solicitor schemes in my Orkney Constituency. That is obviously deeply concerning, yet the Law Society recently confirmed that it has withdrawn from talks with the Government, citing “no tangible progress” on reforming legal aid. What steps will the Minister take to prevent rural and island areas from becoming, in effect, legal aid deserts?
Siobhian Brown
Scottish National Party
The legal aid system is a national one and it is flexible enough to allow services to be delivered by solicitors around the country to people all around the country. There are numerous ways in which access to solicitors can be facilitated remotely, and funding is available to allow solicitors to travel to rural and remote parts of the country to carry out work, meaning that individuals do not have to rely on local provision alone when seeking publicly funded legal assistance.
We will continue to hold discussions with the legal profession on the main areas of concern in relation to legal aid. Both the Law Society and the SSBA are aware that the offer to re-tender for research remains. Through successful engagement with the legal profession, the Scottish Government has delivered significant investment into the legal aid system over recent years. The most recent package of fee reforms and increases was delivered on 29 April last year and took the total additional funding for legal aid to £31 million since April 2021.
Annabelle Ewing
Scottish National Party
That concludes portfolio questions on justice and home affairs. There will be a short pause before we move on to the next item of business, to allow front-bench teams to change positions should they so wish.
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