The Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) is an
executive non-departmental public body of the
Scottish Government, responsible for managing
legal aid
Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to co ...
. It was established in April 1987, under the
Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986
Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to cou ...
, taking over functions previously exercised by the
Law Society
A law society is an association of lawyers with a regulatory role that includes the right to supervise the training, qualifications, and conduct of lawyers. Where there is a distinction between barristers and solicitors, solicitors are regulated ...
.
In 2006 it had an annual budget of approximately £164 million.
History
Providing
free legal assistance in Scotland is based on the
Poor's Roll of 1424:
''"and gif there bee onie pure creature, for faulte of cunning, or expenses, that cannot, nor may not follow his cause, the King for the love of GOD, sall ordain the judge to purwey and get a leill and a wise Advocate, to follow sik pure creatures causes"''
This was reinforced by a 1587
Act of the Scots Parliament
This is a list of Acts of the Parliament of Scotland. It lists the Acts of Parliament of the old Parliament of Scotland, that was merged with the old Parliament of England to form the Parliament of Great Britain, by the Union with England Act ...
:
''"quhatsumever lieges of this Realme accused of treason, or for quatsumever crime... full libertie to provide himselfe of Advocates and Praeloquutoures, in competent numbers to defend his life, honour and land, against quhatsumever accusation".''
See also
*
Scottish public bodies
Public bodies of the Scottish Government are organisations that are funded by the Scottish Government. They form a tightly meshed network of executive and advisory non-departmental public bodies ("quangoes"); tribunals; and nationalised industr ...
*
Public Defender Solicitor Office, funded by SLAB
References
External links
*
The history of legal aid in Scotland
1987 in law
1987 establishments in Scotland
Government agencies established in 1987
Legal aid
Legal Aid Board
Organisations based in Edinburgh
Legal organisations based in Scotland
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