Transcript Background to contracting - Scottish Legal Aid Board

Background to contracting
Colin Lancaster
Director of Policy and Development
Anne Dickson
Policy Projects Manager
Scottish Legal Aid Board
www.slab.org.uk
Contracting background
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Provisions added to LA(S)Act 86 in 1997
Recommended in Strategic Review in 2004
Broad approach considered by SLAB in 2008
Identified as potential means of addressing issues in
mental health and immigration/asylum in 2010/11
 Identified as potential savings measure in response
to economic crisis in 2010
 Included by SG in Sustainable Future paper in 2011
 Current exercise focusing on criminal legal assistance
Scottish Legal Aid Board
Contracting objectives
 Deliver substantial savings of in excess of £3m by 2014-15
 Encourage firms to create efficient business models to
deliver services and ensure that the market operates
efficiently
 Improve consistent and equitable access to justice
 Allow for better planning of service delivery in relation to
need
 Provide clarity and precision around specific types of
work, for example by ensuring that public sector service
level requirements are met (including public sector
equality duties).
Scottish Legal Aid Board
National Outcomes
Scottish Government’s
Purpose
To focus government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of
Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth
Scottish Government’s
Strategic Objectives
Helping communities become safer and
stronger places to live
Enabling the increasing of wealth through
efficient public services
Improving the
environment and its
sustainability
Scottish
We lives our lives We have strong and
We have tackled
Our public services are We reduce the impact
Government’s National safe from crime and
resilient
inequalities in Scottish
high quality,
of our consumption
Outcomes
danger
communities
Society
responsive, and
and production
continually improving
Justice Strategy for
Scotland Priorities
Widening access to
justice and law
reform
Transforming civil
and
administrative
justice
Enhancing efficiency
Scottish Legal Aid Board
Current challenges - economics
Legal Aid Fund Expenditure and Fund Forecast
Expenditure vs SG Allocation
165,000
160,000
£000
155,000
150,000
Expenditure
145,000
140,000
Forecast Expenditure
SG Allocation
135,000
130,000
Scottish Legal Aid Board
Recorded crime in Scotland 2003 - 2013
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
Total recorded crime
Scottish Legal Aid Board
Scottish Legal Aid Board
Scottish Legal Aid Board
All LCJBs
Sols fees ex VAT
Argyll & Clyde
Ayrshire
Central
Dumfries & Galloway
Fife
Glasgow & Strathkelvin
Grampian
Highlands & Islands
Lanarkshire
Lothian & Borders
Tayside
Total
2007/08
2012/13
6,846,858
5,631,439
4,800,661
3,469,301
4,225,125
3,441,068
1,186,289
1,165,981
3,681,790
3,251,728
21,764,314
16,458,780
5,654,496
4,681,460
2,270,185
1,650,749
6,993,202
6,233,709
10,573,766
8,687,481
6,602,307
4,602,114
74,640,867
59,273,809
Absolute change
on 07/08 to 12/13 Change on 07/08
1,215,419
-18%
1,331,360
-28%
784,056
-19%
20,309
-2%
430,062
-12%
5,305,534
-24%
973,036
-17%
619,437
-27%
759,493
-11%
1,886,285
-18%
2,000,193
-30%
15,367,058
-21%
Scottish Legal Aid Board
Local level data
• Local Data on levels of complaints and indictments and solicitor fees:
http://www.slab.org.uk/export/sites/default/common/documents/
reform/Local_Criminal_Justice_Board_Data_Final.doc
• Additional data on average fee, and change in firm income over time:
http://www.slab.org.uk/export/sites/default/common/documents/
profession/documents/Supplementary_LCJB_data.doc
Scottish Legal Aid Board
“There is no doubt in my mind that the High Street has to start with a
huge programme of rationalisation. One aspect of the recession has
been the sadly predictable rise in the number of sole practitioners.
Understandable, but if there was ever a time for firms to get
together and enjoy economies of scale it is now.
My home town of Paisley has about 90,000 people and well over 30
firms. That’s unsustainable. That's 30 cash rooms, receptions and sets
of overheads. I am not saying that the same number of solicitors can't
make a living-but in a much reduced number of practice units. Ayr is
worse-30 firms in a town of about 40,000 people. Solicitors are going
to realise they are collectively employing hundreds of people they can
no longer properly afford.”
18th March 2013
Scottish Legal Aid Board
Options for contracting 1
Scottish Legal Aid Board
Options for contracting 2
Scottish Legal Aid Board
Issues to consider
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Quality
Geographic scope
Subject scope
Choice
Capacity and coverage – firm numbers/structures
Procurement capacity
Contract length
Scottish Legal Aid Board
[email protected]
http://www.slab.org.uk/providers/reforms/criminal/Contracting.html