Question reference: S1W-00811
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 6 August 1999
-
Current status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 18 August 1999
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of the introduction of fixed payments under the Criminal Legal Aid (Fixed Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 1999, it considers that there is any purpose in the retention of time recording in cases which are subject to the fixed payment rules.
Answer
The obligation to undertake personal time recording is set out in the Code of Practice issued by the Scottish Legal Aid Board which solicitors undertaking criminal legal assistance agree to adhere to. The Scottish Legal Aid Board has recently undertaken a consultation exercise on amendments to the code that may be appropriate in the light of the introduction of fixed payments. These proposed amendments include a reduction in the extent of such time recording. I expect a revised Code to be submitted to Scottish Ministers shortly for approval once the Board has taken account of comments received.