The the deadline is approaching for the closing of the Family Graduated Fee Scheme consultation. The Community Legal Services launched the joint consultation with the Ministry of Justice entitled Reforming the Legal Aid Family Barrister Fee Scheme in June and it closes on 10 September 2008.
The consultation proposes interim changes to the Family Graduated Fee Scheme which administers family advocacy payments to barristers.
The Community Legal Services claim that the Fee Scheme expenditure has increased at an unsustainable rate year-on-year, rising from £74m to almost £100m in the last five years.
They argue that in order to help control this expenditure and protect current client services, interim changes are necessary until the proposed introduction of a single family advocacy fee scheme for barristers and solicitors in April 2010.