Criminal Defence Service Bill, Framework Document: Cm. 6572

This document refers to the Criminal Defence Service Bill [HL] (HLB 4) (ISBN 0108421333) as introduced in the House of Lords on 23rd May 2005.

Explanatory notes to the Bill were issued by the Department for Constitutional Affairs (HLB 4-EN) (ISBN 0108600173).

The Bill sets out the Government's proposals to change the arrangements for the right to public funded representation in criminal court cases in England and Wales.This policy paper provides a detailed description of the effects of the Bill, that is, (1) the transfer of the grant of funding to the Legal Services Commission from the courts, and (2) the re-introduction of tests of financial eligibility (means testing) and payments of contributions by defendants to defence costs.