Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill  

The bill has been published today on http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2010-2012/0205/2012205.pdf .

Following the first reading today in Parliament, it is expected to have a second reading within a couple of weeks.

The response to the consultation has also been published here (see bottom of page on link below):
http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/legal-aid-reform.htm

Analysis of the bill: Quick links

> 21/6/11 - Coverage of the accidental early publication of the contraversial justice bill (The Guardian)

> 21/6/11 - Bar Council: Access to Justice will be Systematically Deprived by Legal Aid Proposals (Bar Council)

> 21/6/11 - Law Society comment (Law Society)

> 21/6/11 - Ask not for whom the bill tolls (Nearly Legal) - housing law perspective

> 22/6/11 - Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill - the aftermath (UK Human Rights Blog)

> 22/6/11 - Kenneth Clarke is buying time for prison sentencing reform (Joshua Rozenberg writing in The Guardian)

> 24/6/11 - Fast track for second reading of legal aid and sentencing bill condemned (Law Society Gazette)

> 25/6/11 - Legal Aid reform could end right to a free solicitor (The Guardian)

> 25/6/11 - Legal Aid bill row (Legal Action Group blog)

> 27/6/11 - JUSTICE briefing on the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill (JUSTICE)

> 29/6/11 - Cash for social welfare announced (Legal Action Group Blog) - on Kenneth Clarke's announcement of up to £20 million to support NFP agencies providing social welfare legal advice.

Call for written evidence: Have your say

> 30/6/11 - Now the bill has passed its second reading (in Parliament on 29/6/11) it will be sent to a Public Bill Committee for scrutiny. See the link below for how to submit your views in writing to the House of Commons Public Bill Committee which is going to consider this Bill. The committee is able to receive written evidence between 30th June and 13th October 2011. How to have your say .