MEANS TESTING

Means testing in the magistrates’ courts was brought in on time and on budget and should deliver its projected annual savings of £35m, the Means Testing in the Magistrates’ Courts: Post Implementation Review has found. However, the review concludes that the introduction of the new scheme—brought in on 2 October 2006, to ensure that those who can pay for their criminal defence do so—was “challenging”, particularly with the “ambitious” implementation deadline. It recommended changes exempting defendants appearing before the youth court and under 18-year-olds appearing before the magistrates’ court from the means test—which will be implemented on 1 November 2007.