The criminal legal aid system should be restructured so that it enables legal aid lawyers to provide effective representation at every stage of the process, works for complex cases and sustains providers in all areas of England and Wales. The Government should reduce the role of fixed fees within the legal aid system to ensure that high- quality work at every stage of proceedings and on complex cases is fairly remunerated.

The criminal legal aid system should be restructured so that it enables legal aid lawyers to provide effective representation at every stage of the process, works for complex cases and sustains providers in all areas of England and Wales. The Government should reduce the role of fixed fees within the legal aid system to ensure that high- quality work at every stage of proceedings and on complex cases is fairly remunerated. Type: recommendation | Number: 11 | Paragraph: 52 | Response status: not_addressed Government response: The accelerated measures brought significant new funding to criminal legal aid, including to solicitors, through payments for reviewing unused material and sending cases to the Crown Court. In addition, the Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review’s Terms of Reference include a section on ‘fee review’