7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19): the impact on the legal professions in England and Wales
Select Committee
Justice Committee
HC 520
3 August 2020
Government response
5th Special Report - Coronavirus (Covid 19): The impact on the legal professions in England and Wales: Government Response to the Committee’s Seventh Report · published 19 Oct 2020
Recommendations & Conclusions
5 results
2
Recommendation
Not Addressed
Para 12
There have been positive developments in providing online solutions to providing court services, but pending...
Recommendation
There have been positive developments in providing online solutions to providing court services, but pending full roll out of HMCTS’s cloud video platform, we recommend that the Ministry of Justice sets out the steps it is taking to ensure that …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response does not address the recommendation to set out steps for lay parties' access to technology for remote hearings or to review the effectiveness of remote hearings for all participants before further rollout. Instead, it discusses reviews related to legal aid practitioners and diversity within the criminal legal aid profession.
Ministry of Justice
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4
Recommendation
Not Addressed
Para 21
It is important that the legal professions properly represent the society they serve, not least...
Recommendation
It is important that the legal professions properly represent the society they serve, not least because they form a large part of the pool from which the Judiciary is drawn. The MOJ should set out what it will do to …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response discusses its consideration of the Law Society's proposals for Standard Monthly Payments for Legal Aid providers and their reasons for not adopting them, failing to address the recommendation regarding the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 restrictions on BAME and state-educated legal professionals.
Ministry of Justice
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5
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Para 22
Newly qualified barristers face particular pressure.
Conclusion
Newly qualified barristers face particular pressure.
Government Response Summary
The government's response discusses support for Law Centres and not-for-profit providers, including emergency funding and new services, but does not address the observation regarding newly qualified barristers facing particular pressure.
Ministry of Justice
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8
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Para 27
The furlough scheme has been very useful, with both solicitors’ firms and barristers’ chambers using...
Conclusion
The furlough scheme has been very useful, with both solicitors’ firms and barristers’ chambers using it to reduce staff costs. We heard that the loan schemes were less helpful, particularly for small high street firms.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges that it introduced an unprecedented package of support measures during the pandemic, listing the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and Bounce Back Loan Scheme as available to legal practitioners and firms, but does not address the observation about the helpfulness of loan schemes.
Ministry of Justice
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12
Recommendation
Not Addressed
Para 37
We recommend that the Ministry of Justice considers the Bar Council’s proposals for using alternative...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Ministry of Justice considers the Bar Council’s proposals for using alternative evidence (other than tax returns) for bringing new barristers and returning practitioners within the remit of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and that it report …
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Government Response Summary
The government details its existing support measures and the reasons for the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme's eligibility criteria, but it does not commit to considering the Bar Council's proposals for alternative evidence or reporting back on them.
Ministry of Justice
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