Justice - Eighth Report
Impact of changes to civil legal aid under Part 1 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012

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Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 4 March 2015.

Contents

Terms of Reference

Summary

1 Introduction

The background and effect of LASPO

Objectives of LASPO

Our inquiry

2 The evidence base for the civil legal aid reforms

3 Government underspend and access to legal aid

Underspend

The reasons for the underspend

Shortfall in debt cases

Exceptional cases funding- a "safety net" for the vulnerable?

Why is the grant rate for exceptional cases funding so low?

Our conclusions on the reasons for the underspend

Residence test

Legal advice and representation of children

Children as parties to proceedings

Special Guardianship Orders

4 The domestic violence gateway

5 Sustainability and 'advice deserts' - the legal aid market

The impact of the legal aid reforms on the for-profit sector

The not-for-profit sector

Matter start allocation

Conclusions on the legal aid market

6 Litigants in person

The impact of the rise in litigants in person on the courts

Impact on court resources and proceedings

Specific problems arising from litigants in person in the courts

Parties lacking capacity

Legal Aid Agency refusal to pay for expert evidence

Solutions to the impact of litigants in person on the courts

The Government's litigant in person advice scheme

One stop legal helpline and website

Litigants in person assistance by the courts

McKenzie friends

Unbundling

Californian model

Overall conclusion on litigants in person

7 Mediation

The Government's objective

Why did the number of mediations fall following LASPO?

The Ministry of Justice's response to the fall in mediation

The impact on providers of mediation services

Encouraging behavioural and cultural change

8 Value for money

Early intervention: "a fence at the top of the cliff not an ambulance at the bottom"

Costs-shifting onto public funds and individuals

Preventable demand

9 The operation of the Legal Aid Agency

10 Overall conclusions

Conclusions and recommendations

Formal Minutes

Witnesses

Published written evidence

List of Reports from the Committee during the current Parliament

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Prepared 12 March 2015