(588)  LEGAL AID ROW ENDS

The row between solicitors and the Scottish Executive over criminal legal aid remuneration rates came to an end – at least for the time being – after an emergency meeting of the Council of the Law Society on 7 August 2006.  The meeting decided to accept the Executive’s offer of an 8% increase for court work and a 12% increase for other work in serious cases.  A new scale of fees for less serious cases is to be negotiated.  While large numbers of the profession remain unhappy with these numbers, the proposed ‘industrial action’ – refusal to represent sex offenders – will not now take place (see previously Nos 561, 564, 567, 581).