Government plans to cut duty solicitors go ahead after Court of Appeal rejects legal aid challenge

Crime solicitors have lost their appeal against the government’s plans to cut the number of duty solicitors’ contracts by two thirds - a decision which the Law Society has said could lead to vulnerable people being denied access to justice.

The Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s ruling and rejected the challenge brought by the Law Society, the Criminal Law Solicitors Association and the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association. The three organisations had argued that such massive cuts could deny people access to a solicitor when accused of a crime, while they would also cause the closure of many small law firms.

The Ministry of Justice welcomed the decision and maintains that large savings must be made in the legal aid system. A spokesman said: "Our legal aid reforms are designed to ensure the system is fair for those who need it, the lawyers who provide services as part of it and importantly the taxpayers who ultimately pay for it. Anyone suspected of a crime will still have access to a legal aid lawyer of their choosing after reform, just as they do now."

Andrew Caplen, president of the Law Society, said: "We remain concerned that vulnerable people may not be able to obtain legal representation if they are accused of wrongdoing. This is why we challenged government plans to reduce criminal legal aid contracts as they could affect anyone accused of a crime and the solicitors who provide high-quality legal help, including 24-hour coverage for police stations. Without proper legal representation there may be miscarriages of justice. Criminal legal aid solicitors are critical for ensuring that anyone accused of a crime has a fair trial."