Lord Irvine: keeping an open mind

Urgent Review of Legal Aid is Underway

Sir Peter Middleton, deputy chairman of Barclays Bank, has been chosen to conduct the review. The matter is regarded as so urgent that Sir Peter has been told to produce a preliminary report by the end of September.

The objective of the review is to make the system more efficient and to provide greater access to justice for everyone. Sir Peter, a former Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, described his task as "an exciting challenge".

The announcement was also welcomed by the Law Society as "a fresh opportunity to improve the legal aid scheme to ensure better value for money for the taxpayer and greater access to justice for the public".

The previous government had become increasingly worried at the mounting cost of legal aid and at the public furore when apparently well-off people were conducting expensive litigation at the taxpayers' expense.

The cost of legal aid has risen by a massive 63% since 1991/92 financial year to its present level of around £1.5 billion a year.

Lord Irvine said, "This review is extremely important and I am giving it the highest priority. I have asked Sir Peter to produce a preliminary report for me by the end of September."

"I have therefore instructed my officials that the current programme of activity on civil justice and legal aid reforms should continue in parallel with Sir Peter's review."

The Law Society President, Tony Girling welcomed the news saying, "The debate about legal aid has for too long been polarised between the former government's views that cash-limiting was the only way forward and the concern of solicitors, the advice sector and consumer organisations that this would hurt the most vulnerable people in our society."

Mr Girling added, "I am also delighted that the Lord Chancellor has made it clear that he has an open mind about the future of legal and is not blindly accepting the crude rationing approach of the previous government."