Warwickshire Fabians highlight effect of Legal Aid cuts

Dear all

I’m writing to tell you about our recent Warwickshire Fabians meeting in Rugby last Friday, which was a real eye-opener for many of us. The event discussed the government’s proposals to cut the Legal Aid budget for social welfare law – and the impact that cuts will have on the ability of everyone in society to access justice on equal terms.

I’d like to ask you to register your opposition to these Legal Aid cuts through the Sound Off For Justice web site (http://soundoffforjustice.org/), where you can sign an on-line petition and send an email to your MP. It only takes a couple of minutes.

Addressing the meeting were Lord Willy Bach, a former barrister and Labour’s spokesperson on Justice in the Lords, and Sue Bent, Director of the Coventry Law Centre – a not-for-profit organisation whose activities would be severely hit by the government’s proposals. Coventry Law Centre provides free legal advice and representation to people facing disadvantage in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Through the national network of law centres, vulnerable people can access free advice and solicitors’ services in the areas of social welfare law – for example, employment, discrimination, housing, education, debt, community care, welfare benefits and immigration. Much of this work is funded through Legal Aid, and it is threatened by the cuts proposed in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, which is currently before Parliament.

Addressing the meeting, Sue Bent described the government’s proposals as “an outrage”. She attacked the popular misconception that Legal Aid always goes to “fat cat” lawyers, and she stressed the restrictiveness of the means and merit tests that law centre clients must satisfy to qualify for free legal help.

Sue also gave examples, based on CAB research, of the value for money that Legal Aid spending provides to society. For example, every £1 spent on Legal Aid advice in the employment area saves the state over £7 – by promoting good employment practices and reducing the costs of exploitation, for example non-payment of wages, on the taxpayer.

Willy Bach urged everyone to lobby their MPs to vote against the Bill. You can do this very quickly on-line at http://soundoffforjustice.org/.

Thank you for reading this. And thanks also to Sue and Willy for taking the time to speak to us on this very important topic. I will shortly be circulating our programme of events for the New Year, and I hope to see you there.

Best wishes

Ben

Ben Ferrett
Secretary, Warwickshire Fabian Society