Public defence pay cut 'a divisive move'

Criminal lawyers have reacted angrily to the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine's plans to cut lawyers' fees for publicly defended work by 10%.Lord Irvine announced his proposal to cut advocate's fees for criminal cases this week during the Legal Aid Practitioners Group's 'week of action' in protest against low pay in the sector.

The pay cut is aimed at ironing out the difference between defence and prosecution pay.

Lord Irvine said he is proposing a criminal graduated fee scheme because he is concerned that the higher fees earned by defence advocates has an adverse effect on the quality and experience of prosecutors and on value for money for the taxpayer.

The proposals will cover trials of up to 25 days after 1 December.

Franklin Sinclair, chairman of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association, said: 'My understanding was that they were going to be increased.

On the face of it, it seems to be a complete backtrack.

If legal aid is now a second-class service, it's soon going to become a third-class service.

I abhor this.

Coming in the middle of a week of action, it can only be seen as a divisive move.' Law Society Vice-President Michael Napier said: 'There is absolutely no case for reducing the fees for solicitor-advocates who will be affected by these proposals.

It is unacceptable for the equalisation process of prosecution and defence fees to be carried out at the expense of hard-pressed solicitor-advocates who are already struggling on the current legal aid advocacy rates.'Barristers doing family work will also see fees cut by 10% under a graduated fee scheme.

Anne Mizzi