John Swinney told MSPs the government recognised legal aid needed reform after he was pushed on some of the shocking stories uncovered in Beyond Breaking Point, The Herald's three day series exploring access to justice.
Labour's Pauline McNeill pointed to a report in Wednesday's paper which revealed that four out of five lawyers working on civil legal aid in Glasgow are set to walk away from taking on protective order cases unless the rates of pay increase.
READ MORE
- Beyond Breaking Point: Scotland's Legal Aid Crisis – all articles here
- 'Legal aid will fall over without trainee solicitor investment'
- Figures show women less likely to continue taking on legal aid
- ‘Legal aid helping more people – but system needs to change’
The Scottish Women's Rights Centre told us that their service users are already struggling to find representation and regularly have to contact anywhere between 30 and 50 solicitors.
Meanwhile, Scottish Women's Aid said it was becoming commonplace for some women to represent themselves in court.
Ms McNeill told the First Minister: "The Herald have been running an excellent series this week highlighting the crisis in legal aid.
"But it's not only criminal legal aid where lawyers are abandoning their profession but civil legal aid.
"Four out of five lawyers working in civil legal aid in Glasgow will no longer take on protective order cases for victims of domestic abuse because in 1999 lawyers accepted the principle of one fee of £500 for working a single case and 25 years later that fee is only £572.
"That has resulted in many young lawyers entering the legal profession with better options including Crown Office.
"Does the First Minister accept that it is a crisis, and that it would be reprehensible if domestic abuse victims cannot access a lawyer?
"Does the First Minister agree that the way forward for Scotland is to invest in the whole legal aid system?"
Responding, Mr Swinney told the chamber: "I think it's absolutely essential that young lawyers emerging into the legal profession are entering a whole variety of the legal profession, so the points that are made by Pauline McNeill in that respect are absolutely valid."
READ MORE
- Herald series investigates Scotland's legal aid crisis
- The data behind legal aid: What's access like in your area?
- Why are many Scottish towns 'legal aid deserts'?
He added: "There is of course evidence from the Scottish Legal Aid Board that shows that cases involving allegations of domestic abuse are coming through the judicial system and that is welcome, because it's important that those who are reporting potential crimes are able to see those crimes pursued as part of the judicial system.
"The government will engage actively in regard to the questions on the future of Legal Aid, we recognise that reform is needed in the Legal Aid system which is why our document, Vision for Justice in Scotland, contains an action to reform the Legal Aid system and we'll take forward the actions that are set out in that document."
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