S6W-27605

Asked by: Regan, Ash (Alba Party - Edinburgh Eastern)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported withdrawal of members of the Law Society of Scotland from the Legal Aid Remuneration Project and Research Analysis Group, and whether it has recently met with the Law Society of Scotland to discuss such concerns.

Answered by Brown, Siobhian - Minister for Victims and Community Safety

To give effect to the principal recommendation of the Legal Aid Payment Advisory Panel, that independent research be commissioned to consider the financial landscape for legal aid providers, a working group was established in 2022.

Membership of the group included representatives of the Law Society of Scotland, the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association and the Scottish Legal Aid Board. The group met regularly and agreed a specification to tender for the required research.

Following two unsuccessful tendering processes, the Law Society of Scotland and the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association indicated their withdrawal from the working group. The Scottish Government share these frustrations, but an offer to re-tender remains.

The Scottish Government has held productive discussions with both the Law Society of Scotland and the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association on the purpose of the research and will continue to make the case for re-tendering. We do believe that there is much to gain by carrying out the research.

Mentions:
1: McAllan, Màiri (SNP - Clydesdale) It was always beyond what was possible, and the legal obligation around it has crystallised under the - Speech Link
2: McAllan, Màiri (SNP - Clydesdale) not change it, I will not be able to produce a climate change plan that is capable of fulfilling my legal - Speech Link
3: McAllan, Màiri (SNP - Clydesdale) In addition, there are matters relating to legal aid, which are not explicitly within my remit, but fall - Speech Link
4: McAllan, Màiri (SNP - Clydesdale) In the Government’s view, that will aid access to justice, which is a very important issue. - Speech Link
5: Simpson, Graham (Con - Central Scotland) Am I right in thinking that, in order for it to be legal for you not to have a climate change plan by - Speech Link