This Bill will make provision for the levying of financial contributions in criminal legal aid, ensuring that those who are able to pay a contribution to the costs of their defence do so.
Contributions are already payable in respect of publicly funded advice and assistance and civil legal aid and will be payable in respect of children's legal aid when the Children's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 comes into force. The introduction of contributions into criminal legal aid could produce savings of between £2.5 and £5 million per annum to the legal aid fund and will reinforce the principle that those who can afford to pay towards their costs should do so.
The Bill will also establish a Scottish Civil Justice Council to replace the existing civil rules councils, with a wider policy role to advise and make recommendations on improving the civil justice system in Scotland. The Council was suggested by Lord Gill's Scottish Civil Courts Review and will be key to implementing the report's recommendations, which represent the greatest programme of Scottish civil courts reform in a century.
An efficient publicly funded criminal legal assistance system contributes to an efficient criminal justice system and the establishment of the Council will contribute to making Scotland a more attractive place to do business; improving services for court users; and improving the accessibility, efficiency, effectiveness and fairness of the civil justice system.