Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986

33 Fees and outlays of solicitors and counsel. S

(1) [F1 Subject to subsections (3A) and (3B) below,] any solicitor or counsel who acts for any person by providing legal aid or advice and assistance under this Act shall be paid out of the Fund in accordance with section 4(2)(a) of this Act in respect of any fees or outlays properly incurred by him in so acting.

(2) The Secretary of State may, by regulations made under this section, make such provision as seems to him appropriate in respect of the fees and outlays of solicitors and counsel—

(a) acting in any proceedings for a person to whom legal aid has been made available; or

(b) providing advice and assistance in accordance with Part II of this Act.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2) above, regulations made under this section may—

(a) prescribe the work in respect of which fees may be charged;

(b) prescribe rates or scales of payment of fees and outlays allowable and the conditions under which such fees and outlays may be allowed;

(c) provide for the assessment and taxation of fees and outlays, and for the review of any such assessmen or taxation, either by the Secretary of State or by any other person;

(d) prescribe general principles to be applied in connection with any such assessment, taxation or review;

(e) prescribe forms to be used for the purposes of any regulations made under this section; and

(f) make different provision for different cases.

[F2 (3A) The Secretary of State may by regulations under this section prescribe fixed payments to be made to a solicitor in respect of—

(a) his professional services in providing criminal legal assistance; and

(b) such outlays as may be so prescribed.

[F3 (3AA) Regulations amending or replacing regulations made under subsection (3A) above may, for the purpose specified in subsection (3AB) below, make provision as to fixed payments in relation to criminal legal assistance provided in relation to proceedings commenced before and continuing as at the date of the making or coming into force of the amendment or replacement of the regulations.

(3AB) The purpose referred to in subsection (3AA) above is that of ensuring that persons to whom fixed payment criminal legal assistance is being provided are not, by reason of the amount of the fixed payments payable in respect of that criminal legal assistance under the regulations as they have effect immediately before the coming into force of the amendment or replacement of the regulations, deprived of the right to a fair trial.

(3AC) In subsection (3AB) above “fixed payment criminal legal assistance” and “fixed payments” have respectively the meanings given by subsection (3E) below;]

(3B) A solicitor who provides any criminal legal assistance in respect of which a fixed payment has been prescribed in regulations made under subsection (3A) above shall not be entitled to any other payment out of the Fund in respect of the professional services and outlays mentioned in that subsection, but shall be entitled to reimbursement of any other outlays which he has properly incurred.]

[F4 (3C) The Scottish Ministers may, however, for the purpose of enabling the Board to ensure that a person to whom fixed payment criminal legal assistance is provided is not, for the reason specified in subsection (3D) below, deprived of the right to a fair trial, by regulations under this subsection, provide that—

(a) in such circumstances; and

(b) under such conditions,

as may be prescribed by the regulations, a solicitor who provides such criminal legal assistance shall, instead of receiving fixed payments, be paid out of the Fund in accordance with regulations made under subsections (2) and (3) above.

(3D) The reason referred to in subsection (3C) above is the amount of the fixed payments payable for the criminal legal assistance provided.

(3E) In subsection (3C) above—

• “fixed payment criminal legal assistance” means criminal legal assistance in respect of which fixed payments are prescribed under subsection (3A) above;

• “fixed payments” means fixed payments so prescribed.

(3F) Regulations made under subsection (3C) above shall provide that it is for the Board to determine whether any prescribed circumstances exist and whether any prescribed conditions are met.

(3G) Circumstances may be prescribed under subsection (3C)(a) above by reference to such factors as the Scottish Ministers think fit.

(3H) The conditions which may be prescribed under subsection (3C)(b) above include those which stipulate that a solicitor providing criminal legal assistance—

(a) applies to the Board to exercise its power of determination under subsection (3F) above;

(b) does so in such manner and form as the Board may specify and at as early a stage in the provision of the criminal legal assistance as is reasonably practicable; and

(c) keeps proper records of all professional services provided by way of and outlays incurred in the provision of that criminal legal assistance, whether before or after the exercise of that power of determination.

(3J) Regulations may be made under subsection (3C) above so as to relate to criminal legal assistance provided in relation to proceedings commenced before and continuing as at the date of coming into force of section 7 of the Convention Rights (Compliance) (Scotland) Act 2001 (asp 7), and regulations so relating may disapply any condition which would otherwise apply under subsection (3C)(b) above.

(3K) The Board shall establish a procedure under which any person—

(a) whose solicitor’s application under subsection (3H) above has been refused; or

(b) on whose solicitor’s application under that subsection the Board has made a determination which is such that the solicitor will not be paid out of the Fund in accordance with regulations made under subsections (2) and (3) above,

may apply to the Board for review of that refusal or determination.]

(4) In subsection (1) above the reference to acting for a person includes, in relation to a solicitor, a reference to acting for such a person on the instructions of another solicitor.

(5) Where a person is in receipt of legal aid in connection with any proceedings, any expenses incurred in connection with the proceedings which would, if he were not in receipt of legal aid, be paid, in the first instance, by or on behalf of the solicitor acting for him, shall be so paid.

Subordinate Legislation Made

P1 S. 33 power exercised by S.I. 1991/565 and 566.

P2 S. 33: for previous exercises of this power see Index to Government Orders.

P3 S. 33(2)(3) power exercised by S.I. 1991/567.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 33(1) inserted (1.10.1997) by 1997 c. 48, s. 62(1), Sch. 1 para. 12(9); S.I. 1997/2323, art. 6(2)

F2 S. 33(3A)(3B) inserted (1.10.1997) by 1997 c. 48, s. 51; S.I. 1997/2323, art. 6, Sch. 3

F3 S. 33(3AA)-(3AC) inserted (6.7.2001) by 2001 asp 7, ss. 8, 15(3)

F4 S. 33(3C)-(3K) inserted (6.7.2001) by 2001 asp 7, ss. 7, 15(3)