I read Michael Robinson's letter (see [2007] Gazette, 15 November, 14), in which he criticised the current legal aid reform programme and particularly its impact on users of legal aid and on quality. I am sorry if Mr Robinson feels that the replies my department has provided to his letters have not adequately addressed his concerns.
The aim of the reforms is to ensure that we can help as many people as possible within a budget that is necessarily limited, while supporting effective delivery of justice system. This is a worthwhile aim.
In fact, the reforms are as much about ensuring quality of services for the public as they are about access to justice and value for money. Compliance with Specialist Quality Mark requirements continues to provide assurance that legal firms are well run and have systems in place to deliver quality services. The Legal Services Commission (LSC) will continue to implement peer review as the most robust measure of quality available. In addition, Lord Carter recommended that the professions should take over responsibility for quality assurance and the LSC is looking at ways to take this forward.
The LSC has just begun consulting on the broad principles of best value tendering system, as a precursor to more detailed proposals next year. It has also outlined in more detail the way forward on its quality proposals. I look forward to as many practitioners as possible responding to the consultations.
Lord Hunt, parliamentary under-secretary of state, Ministry of Justice
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