Post by jman on Mar 20, 2012 9:08:10 GMT 1
Law Society Gazette
"MPs call for audit of legal aid changes
Tuesday 20 March 2012 by Michael Cross
The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee today adds its voice to calls for an independent assessment of the impact of the government’s cuts to legal aid.
In a hard-hitting report on Ministry of Justice finances, the committee says the government’s own impact assessment ‘has not identified the behaviour changes which may arise from the new legal aid arrangements, and should do so’. It calls on the ministry to arrange for the National Audit Office ‘to review the impact assessment to ascertain whether the assumptions are sound and uncertainties have been clearly acknowledged’.
Elsewhere the report is scathing about the MoJ’s ability to keep track of its accounts. The committee finds ‘unacceptable’ the ministry’s failure to file departmental accounts on time, a failing it says ‘undermines public confidence in the ministry’s stewardship of funds’............................"
Rest at link below :
www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/mps-call-audit-legal-aid-changes
Here is the link to the Public Accounts Committee's webpage with the report into MOJ accounts and the concerns raised over their failure to cost the legal aid cuts. Will Clarke and Djanogly waste public money and increase the deficit or do what has been asked?
Here is the key conclusion, conclusion 6 :
"Conclusions and recommendations
"6. The Ministry maintains that it has followed Government guidance in producing its impact assessment for proposed changes to legal aid, but admitted that in some areas where there were insufficient data, potential impacts could not be quantified. The impact assessment has not identified the behaviour changes which may arise from the new legal aid arrangements, and should do so. The Ministry should arrange for the National Audit Office to review the impact assessment to ascertain whether the assumptions are sound and uncertainties have been clearly acknowledged."
www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/news/moj-report/
Here's the comment in the report on frontline services
"The Ministry also faces considerable challenges in meeting its tough spending review commitments given the demand-led nature of its business. Although the Ministry has advanced its work on costing since our last report, it is still not complete. Without a full understanding of its costs, the Ministry risks unnecessarily cutting frontline services, which are critical to the poorest in the community, rather than ensuring savings are achieved through genuine efficiencies."
"MPs call for audit of legal aid changes
Tuesday 20 March 2012 by Michael Cross
The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee today adds its voice to calls for an independent assessment of the impact of the government’s cuts to legal aid.
In a hard-hitting report on Ministry of Justice finances, the committee says the government’s own impact assessment ‘has not identified the behaviour changes which may arise from the new legal aid arrangements, and should do so’. It calls on the ministry to arrange for the National Audit Office ‘to review the impact assessment to ascertain whether the assumptions are sound and uncertainties have been clearly acknowledged’.
Elsewhere the report is scathing about the MoJ’s ability to keep track of its accounts. The committee finds ‘unacceptable’ the ministry’s failure to file departmental accounts on time, a failing it says ‘undermines public confidence in the ministry’s stewardship of funds’............................"
Rest at link below :
www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/mps-call-audit-legal-aid-changes
Here is the link to the Public Accounts Committee's webpage with the report into MOJ accounts and the concerns raised over their failure to cost the legal aid cuts. Will Clarke and Djanogly waste public money and increase the deficit or do what has been asked?
Here is the key conclusion, conclusion 6 :
"Conclusions and recommendations
"6. The Ministry maintains that it has followed Government guidance in producing its impact assessment for proposed changes to legal aid, but admitted that in some areas where there were insufficient data, potential impacts could not be quantified. The impact assessment has not identified the behaviour changes which may arise from the new legal aid arrangements, and should do so. The Ministry should arrange for the National Audit Office to review the impact assessment to ascertain whether the assumptions are sound and uncertainties have been clearly acknowledged."
www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/news/moj-report/
Here's the comment in the report on frontline services
"The Ministry also faces considerable challenges in meeting its tough spending review commitments given the demand-led nature of its business. Although the Ministry has advanced its work on costing since our last report, it is still not complete. Without a full understanding of its costs, the Ministry risks unnecessarily cutting frontline services, which are critical to the poorest in the community, rather than ensuring savings are achieved through genuine efficiencies."
