Bethan Jenkins AC/AM South Wales West

The Legal Services Commission’s Wales Director, Paul Davies, shows Bethan Jenkins Assembly Member for South Wales West the exhibition celebrating 60 years of legal aid at the Senedd

BETHAN Jenkins was among the Assembly Members from all over Wales who gathered in the Senedd at a special event to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of legal aid. Also present were key members of the Welsh justice community and representatives from Welsh local authorities.

On view was a special 60^th anniversary exhibition showing how legal aid has developed to reflect society’s changing legal needs over the last six decades.  The exhibition also illustrated how legal-aid funded test cases, like the Thalidomide compensation case and the Clapham rail disaster inquest, have positively changed the law.

“For the past 60 years, legal aid has been an essential part of the Welfare State, along with the NHS, social security, public housing and free education. It’s vital that everyone has access to good quality legal advice when they need it, regardless of their income.” said Bethan.

Paul Davies, Wales Director of the Legal Services Commission, added: “Each year over 70,000 people in Wales get help through legal aid. Of these, around 51,000 people – almost 1,000 a week – receive face-to-face help from a legal aid practitioner. A further 20,000 people in Wales ring our Community Legal Advice telephone helpline.

“Legal aid funding allows solicitors, barristers and not-for-profit agencies, such as Shelter and the Citizens Advice Bureaux, to provide quality legal advice to people on low incomes. It has also paid for nearly 40 young solicitors to train in Wales. Our legal aid service is the best funded in the world and I’m confident that legal aid will continue to play a valuable role in society for the next 60 years and beyond.”