§ 35. Mr. John Leeasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operation of the Legal Aid Fund in relation to criminal appeals to the Court of Appeal.
§ Mr. TaverneLegal aid for this purpose is paid for out of local funds and the expenditure reimbursed by the Home Office. In the financial year 1966–67, when legal aid was granted in respect of over 80 per cent. of the appeals heard, the expenditure was £41,182.
§ Mr. LeeIs my hon. and learned Friend aware that there are instances to show that the system is not working very well, instances where defence certificates are not being determined at the end of trials on indictment and of defendants being faced with the difficult task of mounting appeals to the Court of Appeal unaided? Will he look into this matter?
§ Mr. TaverneI will certainly look into it. I can assure my hon. Friend that in this respect, under the Criminal Justice Act, there are now more effective arrangements being made for giving advice on appeal; and, in the meantime, there have been suggestions from the Bar Council and the Law Society that barristers and solicitors should give rather more advice than they may be doing at present.