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Scotsman
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
'Turmoil' as legal aid board votes for strike action after changes create 'unprecedented' workload
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Lawyers staffing the Scottish Legal Aid Board's hotline have voted to back strike action, claiming changes to their rotas are risking people's legal rights. The 16-strong team of solicitors working at the Solicitor Contact Line voted in favour of industrial action in the consultative ballot which came after claims managers imposed 12-hour shifts and solo working. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad GMB Scotland says this puts staff under unprecedented pressure and risks the rights of those who have been arrested. John McCartney, GMB Scotland organiser for the board, said: 'Our members are qualified solicitors working around the clock to ensure anyone arrested gets the legal representation they are entitled to. 'Their work is an essential protection for the legal rights of every Scot and the foundation of our criminal justice system. 'Their work is stressful, challenging and underpins our justice system. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It is unreasonable to expect a single solicitor to sustain national coverage over a 12-hour shift. 'These are dangerous changes introduced for no good reason and must be reviewed then reversed.' PA The union has also written to Justice Secretary Angela Constance to step in and intervene to put an end to the dispute and halt the industrial action. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Scottish Legal Aid Board staffs a 24-hour solicitor contact line which advises Scots in custody and arranges legal representation. Until recently this office was staffed by two solicitors responding to calls from officers requesting lawyers for suspects being held at police stations. Private law firms are then contacted, but if they are unable or unwilling to send a lawyer, one of the board lawyers must travel to represent them in person instead. However, shift changes mean only one solicitor is now taking calls, which the union says undermines the team's ability to respond to requests and represent those needing a lawyer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr McCartney added: 'There is no operational justification for these changes and there is no evidence of cost savings. 'Managers took this decision despite concerns and imposed it with no consideration of the impact it will have on staff and, more widely, fair access to justice in Scotland's legal system. 'The clear determination of staff to reverse this decision is no surprise and demands urgent action.' The Scottish Conservatives' say the looming strike is the result of years of the SNP government ignoring concerns about legal aid. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Liam Kerr MSP, the party's justice spokesman, said: 'This threat of strike action lays bare just how far those working in the legal aid profession have been stretched. Scottish Conservative MSP Liam Kerr 'Successive SNP justice secretaries have repeatedly ignored the concerns from experts, professionals and victims that urgent investment is needed if victims are to have access to support. 'Victims who are already facing major court delays will pay a heavy price if the SNP do not urgently intervene and ensure this action does not go ahead. 'The system surrounding legal aid is clearly in turmoil, and it falls on the SNP government to sort it out immediately.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Victims Minister Siobhian Brown said: 'Summary case management has so far provided benefits for victims and solicitors and I hope we can work constructively with the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association to ensure their continued support as this is rolled out nationally. Siobhian Brown MSP, Minister for Victims and Community Safety 'We value the role of legal aid providers and I recognise improvement is needed to legal aid. 'That is why I have announced action to make the system simpler and easier for both solicitors and those who need legal assistance along with longer-term proposals for funding and improving the delivery of services. 'This includes a review of legal aid fees that will help develop regular assessments to ensure the system remains fair and sustainable and delivers for the public purse. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Despite extremely challenging financial circumstances, the Scottish Government continues to meet all legal aid costs in full, with expenditure last year of £151 million. 'A further £14.2m has been approved in this year's budget to meet continuing rising costs.' A spokesperson for the Scottish Legal Aid Board said: 'We have not been formally notified by the GMB Union that they intend to ballot their members employed on the Solicitor Contact Line in relation to potential strike action.
The Herald Scotland
20 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish legal aid solicitors could strike over rota changes
Union GMB says this change puts its members under unprecedented pressure and risks the rights of people who have been arrested. The Legal Aid Board currently runs a 24-hour hotline to offer advice to those who have been taken into custody and source legal representation. Read More: It was previously run by two solicitors at a time, responding to calls from officers requesting lawyers for suspects being held at police stations. They would then contact private law firms or, if one cannot be found, travel to represent the arrestee themselves. With only one person now staffing the line, it's feared the ability to respond to calls and offer representation will be hampered. John McCartney, GMB Scotland organiser for the board, said: 'Our members are qualified solicitors working around the clock to ensure anyone arrested gets the legal representation they are entitled to. 'Their work is an essential protection for the legal rights of every Scot and the foundation of our criminal justice system. 'Their work is stressful, challenging and underpins our justice system. "It is unreasonable to expect a single solicitor to sustain national coverage over a 12-hour shift. "These are dangerous changes introduced for no good reason and must be reviewed then reversed. "There is no operational justification for these changes and there is no evidence of cost savings. 'Managers took this decision despite concerns and imposed it with no consideration of the impact it will have on staff and, more widely, fair access to justice in Scotland's legal system. 'The clear determination of staff to reverse this decision is no surprise and demands urgent action.' A spokesperson for the Scottish Legal Aid Board said: 'We have not been formally notified by the GMB Union that they intend to ballot their members employed on the Solicitor Contact Line in relation to potential strike action. 'We will be contacting the GMB officials to seek clarification.'
BBC News
13-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Solar farm proposal for Selby green belt land rejected
Plans to erect a solar farm which would have covered an area equivalent to 80 football pitches on green belt land have been rejected by local 49.95MW scheme, proposed for an 156-acre (63-hectare) site at Hillam, near Selby, was recommended for approval by planning officers at North Yorkshire solar farm would have provided enough green energy to supply 17,000 homes and displace 107,500 tonnes of CO2 a year, according to the councillors voted to reject the plans due to the loss of "good quality" arable land and the fact the scheme fell within green belt. Setting out their reasons for refusing the plans, councillor Angus Thompson said: "Whilst I fully accept that climate change is a special circumstance, this is good quality agricultural land."I can assure you I'm a retired farmer - I know all about sheep, I know all about arable land - and grade two is good quality arable land and it's in a green belt." Councillor John McCartney said several other solar farms had already been approved for the Selby district, and further appropriation of land to generate solar power was "unacceptable". "The accumulation should say we shouldn't put any more in the Selby district," he stated."I get the point about the grid connections, but there's got to be fairness as well - and just raping the entire south Selby by putting solar panels on it is unacceptable."The meeting heard an application for a solar farm near Malton had recently been given the go-ahead by the secretary of state, after initially being refused by the council, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Councillors were warned that while the council would stand by the decision to refuse the application, the decision could still be overturned on residents, community leaders and the CPRE, formerly the Campaign for the Protection of England, had all objected to the proposal, with CPRE North and East Yorkshire claiming the development, on Austfield Lane, would not conform to local or national planning to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
