Speaking ahead of Labour’s Commons debate on access to justice in Wales, Nia Griffith MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, said:
“Cuts to legal aid, tribunal fees and planned court closures make it harder and harder for people in Wales to get redress.
“The sharp rise in people representing themselves, Welsh women struggling to convince the Government that they have been abused, innocent people pleading guilty because they cannot afford to maintain their innocence – these are not the hallmarks of a justice system working well.
“We need an urgent review into how the UK Government’s cuts to legal aid are affecting access to justice.
“The Welsh Labour Government has invested in front-line advice services to try to mitigate the cuts, but the reality is that people across Wales are finding it harder to get basic legal advice on issues like housing, debt and family law.”