Shortly after he was elected as leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn asked Lord Bach to carry out a comprehensive review of legal aid, considering civil, crime, family and social welfare law. Lord Bach will be assisted in carrying out the review by Karl Turner MP. The terms of the review are as follows:
All Party Parliamentary Group on Legal Aid – 22 October 2015
On 22 October 2015 there was a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Legal Aid, which this month focused on the outcome of the criminal legal aid tender and the impact of family legal aid cuts on victims of domestic abuse.
Young Legal Aid Lawyers – Minutes of Meeting on 14 October 2015
Attendees
Rachel Francis, Oliver Carter, Rebecca Cross, Frances McCormack, Kate McFadden, Emily McFadden, Catherine Shannon, Kate Macleod, Philip Armitage, Emily Thornton, Christabel McCooey, Richard Bottomley, Kate Smith, Suzanne Seaton, Tara Mulcair, Derek Bernardi, Gimhani Eriyagolla, Heather Thomas
All Party Group on Legal Aid - The Advice Sector
16th September 2015
Introduction
On 16th September 2015 the All Party Parliamentary Group on Legal Aid met to discuss the problems faced by the advice sector as a result of funding cuts. The meeting was chaired by Keir Starmer, Q.C., who opened by saying that this meeting would discuss where and how people can find legal support and advice prior to any court hearing.
Amnesty International International Secretariat research on the human rights impact of legal aid cuts in the UK
As part of this research, described below, Amnesty International International Secretariat would like to interview lawyers and others providing front line services (eg those who run advice lines and centres, or drop-in-centres for victims of domestic violence, or children) about their experiences following the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.
YLAL is taking part in the BIHR human rights tour which is 15 days of action to create debate about human rights. This starts from 2nd October, the anniversary of when the Human Rights Act became law in the UK. YLAL members in Sheffield and Manchester are helping with local events. Please come along to one of them, or any event near you elsewhere in the country, and be part of the conversation about human rights and why they matter. And tell your friends - spread the word beyond the usual suspects!
Justice Alliance Subgroup: Fat Rat Film in schools
Hopefully by now you will have seen the Fat Rat Film “Legal Aid Team” which was launched in April 2015. For anyone that hasn’t seen it, Legal Aid Team is an “animated superhero adventure film pitting three audacious lawyers against the evil justice minister, Chris Grayling”.
REPORT ON APG MEETING, 8 JULY 2015
The new Parliament may be about to rise for the summer but there has been just time enough for the first meeting of the All-Party Group (APG) on Legal Aid, which has been newly constituted with the former Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer QC elected, unopposed, as chair.
