SLAB annual report 2017

The Law Society has responded to the publication of the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s (SLAB) annual report 2017 today, Friday, 3 November, which shows a further overall drop in legal aid spending from £137.8 million to £135.7 million.

Graham Matthews, president of the Law Society of Scotland, said: “Legal aid is a vital public service. It helps people who are going through some of the  most challenging circumstances in their lives, from relationship breakdown and its impact on families, to those facing eviction from their home or have been charged with an offence.

“We are fortunate in Scotland that there is no upper limit and those who are eligible can apply for legal aid funds and we, alongside the profession, will continue to work with SLAB on simplifying and streamlining the legal aid system and making best use of technology to assist solicitors and their clients.  Having an efficient and effective legal aid system is a key factor in ensuring we have an effective justice system as a whole.

“It remains a major concern however, that there has been another drop in expenditure over the past year. While we fully understand that public funding remains an issue, the social, health and emotional cost, as well as the increased financial outlay, of leaving these unresolved is just too high a price to pay. We have recently undertaken research into the social return on investment offered by legal aid and early intervention in Scotland and are due to publish the results later this month. Initial findings support previous research carried out some years ago in England and Wales, that providing legal advice at an early stage reduces increased public spend further down the line when situations become more complex and costly to resolve.

“Members of the public are right to expect an efficient service which works to resolve legal problems quickly and effectively. However we don’t believe the drop in legal aid spending correlates with a drop in legal need. The continued lack of investment is eroding access to justice for communities across Scotland and we remain concerned about people’s ability to access publicly funded legal advice and services in their local communities, particularly for those outwith the main urban areas.

“The independent legal aid review currently taking place provides an important opportunity to look at how we can improve the system to ensure it works for all those who need it. It’s important that people  can access the legal advice they need, when and where they need it, regardless of their status or financial circumstances, and that solicitors who provide legal aid funded services in towns and cities across the country can continue to afford to provide this vital service.”