First Minister on attack over strike threat

McConnell hits out at bar associations' vote to boycott sex offender cases

News, 9 June 2006

The First Minister Jack McConnell has attacked lawyers for threatening to boycott sex offenders cases in the pay dispute over legal aid.

Mr McConnell called the actions of the three bar associations - Glasgow, Edinburgh and Hamilton - who have voted unanimously over the past week to support a boycott, "shocking and disgraceful" and a risk to public safety.

The action will come into effect in August. The associations voted for the move in protest at the fee levels they receive through legal aid, which have not been raised since 1992 despite Executive promises.

Speaking during First Minister's Questions at Holyrood yesterday, Mr McConnell said lawyers' representatives should continue in talks with the Scottish Executive and withdraw their threat. He added that the threatened action would cause chaos in the prosecution of sex offences. Contingency measures being drawn up included the use of public-employed criminal defence solicitors.

When Conservative spokesperson Margaret Mitchell pointed out that the Executive had failed to honour its promises, Mr McConnell accused her of not putting victims and witnesses first.

A spokesperson for the Law Society of Scotland said: "The Society will meet with the First Minister, the Justice Minister, the Deputy Justice Minister and anyone who can assist in making real progress on this important issue.

"The Society wrote to the Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry a week ago asking for a meeting. It is also why the Society has frequently contacted the Justice Department to ask for dates for meetings to take place. It is disappointing that no dates have been proposed, no meeting has been arranged and no progress has been made despite the Society’s efforts.

"We are disappointed in the reaction given the continued statements that the Executive believe the way forward is by discussion, and urge them to meet with the Society as soon as possible.

"Solicitors and the Executive have at the instigation of the Society worked closely for many years on many worthwhile reforms of court and legal aid processes in the justice system. The one thing that has not changed since 1992 is the legal aid rates for the most serious criminal cases."

Glasgow Bar Association President Gerry McClay said the association had been responsible in delaying action for a couple of months to allow talks to take place.