The Criminal Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

Amendment of Schedule 1

4.—(1) Schedule 1 (advocates’ graduated fee scheme) is amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph 1(1) (interpretation), after the definition of “substitute advocate” insert—

““unused material” means material disclosed pursuant to the prosecutors’ obligations in Part 1 of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996(1), but does not include—

(a)

witness statements;

(b)

documentary and pictorial exhibits;

(c)

records of interviews with the assisted person; and

(d)

records of interviews with other defendants”.

(3) For paragraph 7 (calculation of graduated fees in guilty pleas and cracked trials) substitute—

“Calculation of fees in guilty pleas and cracked trials

7.   The amount of the fee for a single trial advocate representing one assisted person where the case is—

(a) a guilty plea, is the fee specified in Table A following this paragraph;

(b) a cracked trial, is the fee specified in Table A1 following this paragraph,

as appropriate to the offence with which the assisted person is charged, and the category of the trial advocate.”.

(4) Omit paragraph 8 (basic fees for guilty pleas and cracked trials) but not the tables that follow it.

(5) In Table A, which following the omission of paragraph 8 by virtue of paragraph (4) now follows regulation 7, in the heading, for “Basic fees where there is a guilty plea or where the trial cracks in the first third or the second third” substitute “Fee for a guilty plea”.

(6) After Table A insert—

“Table A1

Fee for a cracked trial

(1) Band of offence	Amount of fee for a cracked trial per category of trial advocate
	(2) Junior Alone or Led Junior	(3) Leading Junior	(4) Queen’s Counsel
1.1	£8,585	£12,880	£17,170
1.2	£4,295	£6,445	£8,590
1.3	£2,575	£3,865	£5,150
1.4	£2,145	£3,220	£4,290
2.1	£8,585	£12,880	£17,170
2.2	£2,575	£3,865	£5,150
3.1	£3,535	£5,305	£7,070
3.2	£2,020	£3,030	£4,040
3.3	£1,200	£1,800	£2,400
3.4	£850	£1,275	£1,700
3.5	£750	£1,125	£1,500
4.1	£2,020	£3,030	£4,040
4.2	£1,565	£2,350	£3,130
4.3	£1,515	£2,275	£3,030
5.1	£1,900	£2,850	£3,800
5.2	£1,415	£2,125	£2,830
5.3	£1,010	£1,515	£2,020
6.1	£8,485	£12,730	£16,970
6.2	£7,700	£11,550	£15,400
6.3	£2,855	£4,285	£5,710
6.4	£1,010	£1,515	£2,020
6.5	£810	£1,215	£1,620
7.1	£1,415	£2,125	£2,830
7.2	£810	£1,215	£1,620
7.3	£760	£1,140	£1,520
8.1	£1,210	£1,815	£2,420
9.1	£5,860	£8,790	£11,720
9.2	£4,040	£6,060	£8,080
9.3	£3,030	£4,545	£6,060
9.4	£2,650	£3,975	£5,300
9.5	£1,615	£2,425	£3,230
9.6	£1,210	£1,815	£2,420
9.7	£810	£1,215	£1,620
10.1	£2,220	£3,330	£4,440
11.1	£1,400	£2,100	£2,800
11.2	£800	£1,200	£1,600
12.1	£2,120	£3,180	£4,240
12.2	£1,315	£1,975	£2,630
12.3	£910	£1,365	£1,820
13.1	£1,800	£2,700	£3,600
14.1	£2,325	£3,490	£4,650
15.1	£1,615	£2,425	£3,230
15.2	£1,400	£2,100	£2,800
15.3	£850	£1,275	£1,700
16.1	£2,220	£3,330	£4,440
16.2	£1,615	£2,425	£3,230
16.3	£1,010	£1,515	£2,020
17.1	£725	£1,090	£1,450”.

(7) Omit Table B (basic fees where the trial cracks in the final third).

(8) In paragraph 11(2) (general provisions), for “paragraph 8” substitute “paragraph 7”.

(9) In paragraph 15(5) (fees for sentencing hearings), in the definition of “banded fee”, for “paragraph 8” substitute “paragraph 7”.

(10) In paragraph 17 (fees for special preparation)—

(a) before sub-paragraph (1)(b)(i) insert—

“(ai) in cases falling within bands 2.1 and 2.2 (terrorism offences), 750;

(bi) in cases falling within bands 3.1 to 3.5 (serious violence), 700;

(ci) in cases falling within bands 4.1. to 4.3 (sexual offences, children), 750;

(di) in cases falling within bands 5.1 to 5.3 (sexual offences, adult), 650;”;

(b) after sub-paragraph (1)(b)(i) insert—

“(ia) in cases falling within bands 7.1 to 7.3 (property damage offences), 550;

(ib) in cases falling within band 8.1 (offences against the public interest, unless standard), 600;”;

(c) after sub-paragraph (1)(b)(ii) insert—

“(iia) in cases falling within band 10.1 (driving offences), 800;

(iib) in cases falling within bands 11.1 and 11.2 (burglary and robbery), 350;

(iic) in cases falling within bands 12.1 to 12.3 (firearms offences), 750;

(iid) in cases falling within band 13.1 (other offences against the person), 750;

(iie) in cases falling within band 14.1 (exploitation/human trafficking offences), 350;

(iif) in cases falling within bands 15.1 to 15.3 (public order offences), 150;

(iig) in cases falling within bands 16.1 to 16.3 (regulatory offences), 300;

(iih) in cases falling within band 17.1 (standard cases), 100;”.

(11) After paragraph 17 insert—

“Fees for consideration of unused material

17A.— (1) This paragraph applies in respect of any case on indictment in the Crown Court, in respect of which a graduated fee is payable under Part 2 or Part 3, other than a guilty plea.

(2) In any case to which this paragraph applies, a fee (“the basic consideration fee”) is payable to a trial advocate in respect of the consideration of unused material which corresponds to the category of the advocate concerned specified in the table following this sub-paragraph, whether or not such consideration has actually occurred.

Category of advocate	Fee
QC	£112.11
Leading Junior	£84.84
Junior alone or Led Junior	£59.01

(3) This sub-paragraph applies where—

(a) a trial advocate has undertaken the consideration of unused material; and

(b) the advocate has spent in excess of three hours undertaking that consideration.

(4) In a case where sub-paragraph (3) applies—

(a) a fee (“the additional fee”) is payable to the trial advocate in addition to the basic consideration fee; and

(b) the amount of the additional fee corresponds to the category of the advocate concerned specified in the table following paragraph 24.

(5) The additional fee is payable only where the appropriate officer considers it reasonable to make such a payment.

(6) A trial advocate claiming the additional fee must supply such information and documents as may be required by the appropriate officer in support of the claim.

(7) In determining whether it is reasonable to pay the additional fee, the appropriate officer must take into account—

(a) the reasonableness of the hours claimed in respect of the case taken as a whole; and

(b) the reasonableness of the hours claimed in respect of the consideration of the unused material.”.

(12) In paragraph 19(2) (fees for conferences and views), for “paragraph 8” substitute “paragraph 7”.

(13) In paragraph 19A(2) (fees for further case management hearings and plea and trial preparation hearings), for “paragraph 8” substitute “paragraph 7”.

(14) In paragraph 22 (discontinuance or dismissal of proceedings)—

(a) in sub-paragraph (2), for “paragraph 8” substitute “paragraph 7”;

(b) in sub-paragraph (3), for “graduated fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 7” substitute “fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 7(a)”;

(c) in sub-paragraph (5), for a “graduated fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 7”, substitute “fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 7(a)”;

(d) in sub-paragraph (7), for “graduated fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 7”, substitute “fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 7(a)”;

(e) in sub-paragraph (8)(b), for “paragraph 8” substitute “paragraph 7”.

(15) In the table that follows paragraph 24 (fixed fees), after the entry relating to “special preparation” insert—

“Consideration of unused material in excess of three hours

17A(3)

£39.39 per hour

£56.56 per hour

£74.74 per hour”.

(16) In paragraph 24A(2) (warrant for arrest), for “paragraph 8” substitute “paragraph 7”.

(17) In paragraph 27 (additional charges and additional cases)—

(a) in sub-paragraph (2)(b)(i), for “paragraph 8” substitute “paragraph 7”;

(b) in sub-paragraph (4)(a), for “paragraph 8” substitute “paragraph 7”.

(18) In paragraph 31 (assisted person unfit to plead or stand trial)—

(a) in sub-paragraph (b)(ii), for “graduated fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 7” substitute “fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 7(b)”;

(b) in sub-paragraph (c)(ii), “graduated fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 7” substitute “fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 7(a)”.

(1)

1996 c. 25.