Post by Dan Dare on Sept 30, 2024 9:31:13 GMT
Led by lawyers from Duncan Lewis and Matrix Chambers (Cherie Blair’s old gig), a judicial review case in the High Court has extracted a promise from the Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood to complete a review of legal aid rates for asylum and other ‘controlled immigration work’ by the end of November. In addition, the government has agreed to contribute £210,000 towards the costs of the claimants.
The Claim was supported by evidence from across the immigration legal aid sector including:
• Care4Calais
• Women Against Rape
• Manuel Bravo Project
• South London Refugee Association
• Refugee Action
• SOAS Detainee Support
• West London Welcome
• the Law Society
• the Immigration Law Practitioner’s Association
• Legal Aid Practitioners Group
• Coram Children’s Legal Centre
• Justice Together
• the Refugee Council
• the Westminster Commission
• the Anti-Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit
• Young Legal Aid Lawyers
• Public Law Project
• Haringey Migrant Support Centre
• Bail for Immigration Detainees
• Helen Bamber Foundation
• the British Red Cross
According to the claimants, legal aid for the immigration sector requires a 46% increase to restore rates and incomes to 1996 levels. Anything less ‘is causing injustice to asylum seekers who cannot secure representation’.
