An example of how the ConLibs will attack public service was demonstrated recently by the family law legal aid tender. Whilst tendering for business is a common enough experience for businesses it is the first time it has been used for legal services. The MoJ does not own clients. Clients choose a Solicitor and seek publicly-funded advice. The tender process has resulted in a huge reduction in the number of firms now able to offer legal aid and due to fee cuts, only junior staff will be able to undertake the work. Client choice has been restricted.
The MoJ seems incapable of seeing the value that Solicitors bring to the process and have concentrated exclusively on cost.
They have attempted to address quality issues by insisting on advanced panel membership. However there is no evidence that advanced panel membership means anything to clients or guarantees quality.
A Solicitor undertaking legal aid work has to turnover 4 times the number of files than a private client family solicitor simply to earn the same fees. With a cut in fees the only way to survive is to push the work further down the food chain. Less experienced staff will have to do the work.
Imagine if this happened in health care or dentistry or in pharmacies?
All I can suggest is that you contact your MP. They won't care but it might make you feel better.
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