The Ministry of Justice yesterday tabled two amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.

• On domestic violence: Ministers have promised to ‘put it beyond doubt that those who have suffered physical, psychological or financial domestic abuse will continue to receive legal aid to help them to resolve any separation disputes over property or child contact’.
  The Legal aid Bill proposes to scrap legal aid for all family advice except where there is domestic violence – but their definition on domestic violence is drawn more narrowly then that of the court or the Association of Chief Police Officers – see more HERE.
• On medical accidents:  Ministers have agreed that for ‘clinical negligence claims in obstetrics cases which result in severe disability’ legal aid must remain. ‘We have therefore brought forward an amendment which will make this clear in law. A safety net will continue to exist for other more serious and complex clinical negligence cases where there is a human rights issue.’ You can read more HERE.

For more information see the Sound off for Justice campaign.