Legal aid costs increase in Scotland

The cost of legal aid in Scotland increased by 7% to £146mn, according to latest figures from the annual report of the Scottish Legal Aid Board. Criminal legal aid accounted for £102.2mn, with an increase 10%. The number of summary criminal legal aid applications reached their highest-ever level at 82,999. The cost of civil legal aid also increased, from £38mn to £40mn, but the number of applications fell.