Ms Oonagh McPhillips:

The criminal legal aid system is something we keep under review on an ongoing basis because it obviously is a big chunk of the Vote. As the provision of legal aid is obviously a constitutional right, we constantly try to iterate it. The general scheme of a forthcoming Bill will go to Government shortly that will revise the scheme and place it with the Legal Aid Board for ongoing administration on a day-to-day basis. That Bill will take the opportunity to provide for better oversight and improved accountability for the expenditure. We do what we can on an ongoing basis on an administrative basis. Some of it is by regulation as well and the regulations have been revised and reviewed from time to time. The actual Bill will make a significant change.