There is no shortage of barristers willing and able to do criminal and family work for current legal aid rates, research commissioned by the Department for Constitutional Affairs has claimed.

The survey by Frontier Economics suggested that the problem of obtaining a barrister for legal aid cases had not worsened over the last year and it had become easier if the firm is outside London, specialises in crime or family work and handles fewer than 300 legal aid cases.


Some 30% of the 300 solicitors questioned said they had, on at least one occasion, been unable to secure the services of an appropriately experienced barrister. This compared with 37% of the 326 surveyed in 2004.


But Andrew Greensmith, vice-chairman of Resolution, said: 'Our members tell us that it is very difficult to get the right level of experience. We are told that solicitors are offered junior barristers for legal aid cases.'


Rodney Warren, director of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association, added: 'These results present no intellectual or rational basis to support cutting fees.'