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Legal Services Commission annual accounts 2011-12 qualified by NAO
Amyas Morse, the Comptroller and Auditor General, has qualified the accounts of the Community Legal Service Fund and the Criminal Defence Service because of errors in payments to legal aid providers.
Morse said: “The Legal Services Commission has made significant progress in the last year and I have noted the reduction in payment errors in my report. However, the error rate, particularly in relation to legal aid providers, is still high. The need for further progress is particularly strong given the forthcoming reforms. I expect the Commission to reconsider its risks and assurance regime ahead of these changes.”
The errors highlighted in the report include £20.4 million paid to legal aid providers where the claim was not in compliance with the statutory fee regimes; and £15.2 million relating to legal aid payments for people who were not eligible or whose eligibility could not be proven. The total estimated amount of irregular payments has fallen by 28 per cent when compared with the 2010-11 accounts (from £49.5 million to £35.6 million).