“"This has been a year of strong performance and positive delivery for SLAB. We have ensured that individuals continue to access legal assistance to uphold their rights, often in complex and challenging circumstances. This year has marked another important period of progress towards legal aid reform. The Scottish Government’s recent consultation paper on the reform of legal aid, alongside Parliamentary scrutiny and its committee inquiries, has reinforced the case for a system that is more flexible, user-focused and sustainable. We have contributed actively to this agenda through evidence to Parliament, ongoing engagement with stakeholders, and our advice to Scottish Government on options to design a system better aligned to user needs. We will continue to make the positive case for transformational change of the legal aid system."
“"Over the past year, legal aid in Scotland has continued to play a vital role in supporting access to justice and upholding the rights of people and communities across the country. Through the collective efforts of staff and our partners, we have remained focused on a high-quality approach to funding and delivering services that can be vital for people when they need them most. We welcome the growing cross-party recognition of the need for long-term structural reform of legal aid. Scottish Government’s commitment to reform, including the intention to introduce a Legal Aid Reform Bill in the first year of this parliament, represents a long-awaited opportunity for progress. We look forward to supporting this work and continuing to collaborate with partners, including the Law Society of Scotland, Faculty of Advocates, advice sector and others across the system."
