APPENDIX 13
Supplementary Memorandum submitted by
The Law Society of Northern Ireland
RE: LEGAL
AID REFORM
IN NORTHERN
IRELAND
I refer to my previous letter of 26 February
enclosing a Briefing Note for the assistance of the Committee.
From our more recent telephone discussion I
understand that it is now unlikely that oral evidence will be
required. In these circumstances we though that the Committee
might find it useful to receive a brief update since the time
of submission of the initial Briefing Note, by reference in particular
to the debate about future funding arrangements (dealt with at
paragraphs 4.11 to 4.28 of the Briefing Note). In that section
we mentioned the work which was ongoing, initiated by the Government
as part of the Decisions Paper, to consider the viability or otherwise
of a Contingency Legal Aid Fund (CLAF) system for Northern Ireland.
The Law Society of Northern Ireland has now
reached a considered position on this matter, and I enclose a
copy of a letter of 11 April 2001 sent by the President of the
Society to His Honour Judge David Smyth QC (who is chairing a
Working Group on this matter which will report back to the Government
in due course).
19 April 2001
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