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16 December 2011 / Carol Storer
Issue: 7494 / Categories: Opinion , Legal aid focus
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Delaying the inevitable?

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Does the government’s new schedule for legal aid reform provide hope or just delay? Carol Storer reports

The government has announced a delay in implementing the legal aid reforms. Does this mean that it has concerns over the passage of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Bill? Or is it simply a sensible scheduling decision?

Originally, the government hoped to bring in the cuts in civil categories next October. However, the LASPO Bill will only become an Act at the earliest in March 2012, assuming it is passed in some shape or form. The Ministry of Justice refers to family and civil contracts being offered in April 2013.

Current civil contracts would have to be terminated early. Civil non-family contracts are due to expire in November 2013, while the new family (and family with housing) contracts start in February 2012 and expire in November 2013. If the government cannot meet the civil timetable, it can let the contracts continue to November rather than terminate early.

The Bill is now in the

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