Legal aid ‘must be streamlined’

The legal aid system will need to be streamlined in order to ensure its survival, according to the justice secretary.

Ken Clarke said the system currently faces an “existential crisis” and it must not offer NHS-style services which cater for “any need”.

Writing in The Guardian, the minister indicated that only those in real need should be provided with legal support.

He stated: “That does not mean that people must have taxpayer-funded legal help for whatever they want, whenever they want.

“This is neither affordable, nor sensible, when there are often better ways to resolve disputes than the winner-takes-all court room.”

The newspaper also reports that Lord Tebbit hopes to stop Government plans to get rid of legal aid for youngsters who are involved in medical negligence claims.

The House of Lords is set to consider a bill designed to scrap legal aid in relation to things like debt, housing and employment.

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