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David, at its most expensive the legal aid budget was only 2% of the cost of the NHS, 4.5% of defence spending, 1.5% of welfare and tax credit spending. There will always be waste but, in terms of value for money, legal aid's contribution to the welfare state was very cost effective. Unless you are of the view that the welfare state is wrong, or that giving people access to good legal advice in a modern society is not a necessary part of the welfare state it is hard to see that it was ever a luxury.

Having spent my professional life not getting rich on legal aid work I find the constant carping about legal aid lawyers being paid money the country can't afford, by government, the media and, sadly some commentators here annoying and insulting.