The Community Legal Service (Funding) (Amendment No. 2) Order
2011 and the Criminal Defence Service (Funding) (Amendment) Order
2011 were laid on 24 August 2011.
Provisions under the Criminal Defence Service (Funding)
(Amendment) Order 2011 will come into force on 3 October 2011 and
will apply to proceedings in which representation orders are
granted on or after 3 October. Under the Community Legal Service
(Funding) (Amendment No. 2) Order 2011, where funded services are
provided under the 2010 Standard Civil contract, the order will
come into force on 3 October. Where funded services are provided
under the Unified Contract, the order will come into force on 1
February 2012.
The Orders implement the cuts to civil and criminal legal aid
which the Government recently consulted on in its consultation
"Proposals for the Reform of Legal Aid in England and Wales".
Please see the
LSC website for more details of the fee changes to be
implemented, including copies of the Funding Orders.
To keep up to date with changes by the Legal Services
Commission, advocates and clerks are encouraged to
sign up to the LSC email update. Subscription to the portal is
free.