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| Access to Justice - Beyond the Year 2000 |
| 1. Introduction |
| 1.1 The paper considers how the considerable funds made available by the Government through the Scottish legal Aid Board ("SLAB") under the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986 ("the 1986 Act") for civil legal aid, and advice and assistance on civil law can best be used. These arrangements are referred to collectively as "civil legal assistance" although this term is not found in the 1986 Act. |
| 1.2 The paper does not deal with 2 small but important categories of legal aid, legal aid for children and legal aid for contempt of court proceedings. No change is proposed in the way these are administered. |
| 1.3 Part 2 sets out our aim for the role of legal aid in the justice system and explores how far the current system meets that vision. Parts 3 to 9 discuss various areas of possible development and pose consultation questions. The Government is not concerned primarily with reducing the cost of legal aid. The main concern is to ensure that legal aid is properly targeted and cost-effective. |
| 1.4 Comments on this Paper should be sent by 31 August 1998 to:
Ian Allen DX ED20-557007
Telephone Number: 0131-244 2202 or by E-Mail to LegalAid.consult@SO082.Scotoff.gov.uk |
| 1.5 This Paper is also available on the Internet as www.Scotland.gov.uk and it is possible to send a direct E-Mail response from that site. |
| 1.6 We may also be asked to make responses available to Parliament, to other consultees, or to members of the public. If you do not wish your views to be made available to any of these, please indicate this in your response. |
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