Sir, Police officers bemoaning the loss of £250 because of the late implementation of their latest pay rise may be reassured by the thought that the Government has come up with a scheme to reduce their workload. From January 14, 2008, legal aid payments to solicitors for attending police stations on behalf of suspects — already less on average than a third of what is required to pay the overheads of their firms — are to be cut by up to 75 per cent.

The inevitable result is that solicitors’ firms will either go out of business altogether or will cease doing the vital task of advising suspects who are frequently the most disadvantaged members of society and who are always met with a situation that is frightening, threatening and, invariably, quite overwhelming.

There will be a huge shortage in the availability of legal advice to those who have been arrested, often on false, mistaken or simply inadequate evidence. It is impossible to resist the perception that this is exactly what the Government wants to achieve, because it will make the task of police investigation much easier and will mean that more suspects are charged and convicted.

For the past 50 years, legal aid has given Britain something of which to be truly proud. This Government is tolling the death knell for any true concept of British justice.

Robert Wade

Associate Solicitor

Keith Evans & Co, Newport

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