Response to Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid

FollowingThis carefulis considerationthe ofgovernment’s responsesfull response to consultation,the wecriminal arelegal nowaid publishingindependent anreview and consultation on policy proposals. It follows the interim response to consultationthe andcriminal layinglegal aaid statutoryindependent instrumentreview thatand willconsultation increaseon mostpolicy feeproposals’ schemeswhich bywas 15%published in lineJuly with2022 ourfollowing consultationthe proposalsclosure fromof 30the Septemberconsultation in June 2022.

InThe additioninterim response committed to increasingincrease fees,most wefees areby extending15% thewhich scopecame ofinto paymentforce foron pre-chargethe engagement30 workSeptember to2022. coverFurther workproposals donewere aheadannounced ofon an11 agreement,October orand wherewe anwere agreementalso isable notto reached,lay ina appropriateStatutory cases,Instrument in lineOctober with2022 to apply the Attorney15% General’sincrease Disclosureto Guidelines.cases Wethat alsoalready intendhad a determination to abolishgrant fixedlegal feesaid whereafter individuals17 electSeptember to2020 havebut theirhad casenot heardyet athad thea Crownmain Court,hearing.

This anddocument gofocuses on tolonger-term pleadreform guilty.

Arather fullthan the immediate fee increases that were covered by the interim response. This response toprovides a summary of the consultation willquestions beand publishedthe responses received as well as a detailed government response and policy proposals for each theme and specific questions raised in CLAIR and the autumn.consultation.