Austerity has 'gone too far' and the clock should be turned back on LASPO, Lord Bach says in an exclusive interview for NLJ this week
Speaking to Legal Action Group director Steve Hynes, Lord Bach says 'cuts to social welfare law were never justified and the cuts in family law have led to more litigants in person clogging the courts system and adding to costs.' He points out that the cuts to legal aid have 'gone beyond what was passed under LASPO (Legal Aid. Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders) Act. Lord Bach, who was minister for legal aid from 2008-2010, emphasises the importance of early legal advice. This helps people engage in the ADR process, he says.
The former Labour minister also reflects on his own time in office. Looking ahead, he calls for a cross - party 'consensus around access to justice'. (see The right to justice & an agenda for change).
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