To ensure a saving for the legal aid fund, the ministry intends to apply a price cap of 17.5 per cent below the rates paid in 2012/13.

A conditional legal aid fund, which would back cases now outside the scope of legal aid in return for a portion of the damages, may also receive a fair wind.

An aid fund for poor families to acquire housing was also established.

A mutual aid fund operated in the village.

The service was condemned variously as unfair competition, a waste of legal aid funds and a conspiracy to undermine the independence of defence lawyers.