The Liberal Democrat Spring Conference today called on ministers to ensure that legal aid reforms do not restrict access to justice for the most vulnerable groups in society.

The Government's proposed reforms do not take into account factors like location, translation services and the level of legal expertise required, all of which could result in poor families losing access to free high quality advice. The Liberal Democrats would:

• Suspend further Carter reforms until a full assessment of their impact on the most vulnerable clients has been carried out


• Reject the imposition of flat-rate fees, which restrict access to justice


• Introduce a new framework for legal aid, recognising the needs of vulnerable clients and the complexity of cases


• Subject all new arrangements to pilot schemes so that the costs and benefits can be judged in practice.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"Justice for all is one of the cornerstones of a free and liberal society and a fundamental human right. In its botched legal aid reforms, the Government has failed to protect one of the most important pillars of the welfare state.

Legal aid does not fit easily into a rigid market structure and fixed fees do not take into account geography or the need for special expertise. The reforms have not been researched properly. Competitive tendering must be piloted before these changes are taken any further."