North Wales MS and Shadow Counsel General Mark Isherwood has today challenged the Welsh Government over the action it is taking to ensure Autistic and Disabled people can access lawyers to represent them, when senior Local Authority Officials have failed in their statutory duties to them, made false statements about them, or both.
Questioning the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution in today’s Plenary meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood said he is regularly contacted by Autistic and Disabled constituents who are experiencing problems obtaining representation from Lawyers willing to take on their cases, with the relevant expertise, or both.
He said:
“I am unfortunately stuck at home, having tested Covid-positive again, and was therefore unable to attend this lunchtime’s Legal Services Board's 'Reshaping Legal Services in Wales' event, at which you spoke.
“Their “Reshaping Legal Services strategy” sets out their ambition to make sure regulation supports access to legal services for everyone who needs them, especially those individuals and small businesses whose needs are too often unmet.
“Although this states that the UK “Ministry of Justice’s Legal Support Strategy set a new path for overhauling the legal support system” and that “its emphasis on early intervention, solutions like legal support hubs and focus on innovation was welcome”, it lists a number of challenges, including: “Achieving fairer outcomes for people experiencing greater disadvantage”.
“What consideration have you therefore given to the needs of Autistic and Disabled people, who regularly contact me after failing to obtain representation from Lawyers willing to take on their cases, with the relevant expertise, or both – when senior Local Authority Officials have failed in their statutory duties to them, made false statements about them, or both?”
In his response the Counsel General blamed Legal Aid cuts, but Mr Isherwood stressed that finding a lawyer is still an issue even for those eligible for Legal Aid.
He said:
“of course, the Legal Services Board documents, as referred to earlier, themselves reference that Legal Aid is being reviewed and I know, from previous exchanges with you, that you've been having some input into that. But the issue I highlight applies also where people have been eligible for Legal Aid but have still been unable to secure legal representation, because of the complexity and specialism of the law applying to their situation.”