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David Ward MP <>
Bradford MP Defending Legal Aid
October 20, 2010 12:00 AM
David Ward MP
David Ward MP has challenged the Ministry of Justice to address the chaos facing the legal aid system.
Bradford law firms have been left unable to offer legal aid due to the inefficient and unfair system by which contracts are allocated.
In the House of Commons today, David Ward asked the Justice Minister to consider fairer systems to ensure that the most vulnerable have access to justice.
Commenting, David Ward MP said:
"Access to a fair trial is a fundamental human right. This right is being denied to vulnerable people in Bradford because of the chaos that the last government left behind in the legal aid system.
"Legal aid contracts have been allocated without any logic. Some firms have been given more than they need to meet their caseload while established providers are having to turn people away.
"The Justice Minister has given me a commitment to look into these problems. I am pleased that sorting out this mess is being taken seriously by the Government. I will be strongly making the case for a fairer system as the review progresses."
The full text of David Ward's question appears below.
Mr David Ward (Bradford East) (LD): What steps his Department is taking to increase access to legal representation for the most vulnerable.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Jonathan Djanogly): On 23 June 2010 the Justice Secretary announced in a written ministerial statement that the Government were undertaking a policy assessment of legal aid in England and Wales. The Government intend to seek views on proposals later this autumn. In addition, on 26 July I announced the Government's intention to consult on implementing Lord Justice Jackson's proposals on funding arrangements from his report later this autumn. Those proposals, if implemented, would help to maintain access to justice at proportionate costs for claimants and defendants.
Mr Ward: The only organisation in Bradford with qualified solicitors offering welfare advice ceases its service part-way through the year as it uses up its allocation of matter starts, while other solicitors still have unused but non-transferable allocations. Will the Justice Secretary please ensure that, as part of the review, the inefficiency of matter starts is given due consideration?
Mr Djanogly: That will form part of the review, which, as I said earlier, will be out later this autumn.