The National Audit Office has published a report on the legal aid system.
It found that:
- The Ministry of Justice can not say how much money was saved in recent reforms
- The reforms are not providing the level of access to justice that they intended
- Diversion to mediation has failed
- Self-representation has increased
- The Ministry of Justice is unable to provide evidence of value for money.
- There are not enough companies willing or able to provide legal aid.
The NAO is concerned that the MoJ doesnt know whether people who are eligible for legal aid can actually access it.
This is worrying because the number of companies who provide legal aid are dwindling and the MoJ are not doing anything to improve the situation.