On the “Transforming Legal Aid” consultation page, the MoJ have added some clarification around what is meant for the proposed new fixed fees for police station and magistrates court work, and there is also a news item on the LAA website. It appears that the figures quoted in the paper are inclusive of VAT, travel and waiting time and travel disbursements. However, in practice, disbursements will be paid separately – so the figures in the consultation paper are the total you will be paid for the case, but not the total profit costs. The profit costs alone element will be £160.45 plus VAT for police stations and £258.71 plus VAT for magistrates court work. We understand there will be an escape threshold for magistrates court work but not for police stations.
The consultation closes on 18th October. Vicky Ling and Andrew Otterburn will be carrying out work on the new duty solicitor contracts for the Law Society and MoJ – see here for more.
Legal Aid Handbook 