14/06/2011
Source: Guardian
The government's proposals to slice £350m out of the legal aid budget are a "false economy" that will hurt the "vulnerable and socially excluded" hardest, an independent inquiry warns on Tuesday.
Final plans for the cost-cutting reforms are expected to be announced by the justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, as early as the end of this week. They have been criticised by law centres and charities for restricting access to justice.
Under the plans, the £2.2bn a year legal aid budget will be slashed. While the Ministry of Justice's impact assessment last autumn suggested 500,000 fewer cases would be entitled to funding, Legal Action Group estimates up to 650,000 removed from access to legal aid; other estimates suggest it could mean 725,000 fewer cases.
The MoJ has said the reforms will encourage people to take advantage of alternative routes to resolution – such as mediation – which will not involve the expense of court proceedings.
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