Important information on crime and civil contracts and new matter starts issued

2013 Standard Civil Contract

We have published the final version of the 2013 Standard Civil Contract and Category Definitions 2013 on the Justice website.

2010 Standard Civil and Crime Contracts

We have published the amended 2010 Standard Civil Contract and the 2010 Standard Crime Contract.  These amendments come into effect on 1 April 2013.

The term of the 2010 Standard Civil Contract has also been extended to 31 March 2014 (extended from 14 November 2013). 

This contract applies to providers who deliver legal aid in the following categories:

• Actions against the Police
• Clinical Negligence
• Community Care
• Family Mediation
• Mental Health
• Public Law 

Notifying you

We recently sent all relevant contract holders a letter and formal notice of the amendments to the 2010 Standard Contracts (including extension to the 2010 Standard Civil Contract).

On the week starting 4 March, we will email providers notifications on the new Contract Schedules.  These contain the matter start allocations for 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014.

How matter starts have been allocated

Matter start allocations have been calculated in line with paragraph 1.36 of the 2010 Standard Civil Contract Specification. 

Calculations were based on:

• proportion of Matter Starts correctly reported between 1 April 2012 and 30 November 2012 plus
• an estimate for the period up to 31 March 2013.

Actions Against the Police etc

The allocation for providers undertaking work in the ‘Action Against the Police etc’ category, under the 2010 Standard Civil Contract, is 80% of the proportion of Matter Starts correctly reported in the above mentioned period.

This is because scope changes in the ‘Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act, 2012’ will reduce the demand for these services.

Minimum allocations

Where the number of matter starts reported is less than the minimum, or no matter starts have been reported at all, the minimum allocation for that category will be awarded.

Links

Final version of the 2013 Standard Civil Contract and Category Definitions 2013

Amendments to and extension of 2010 Standard Civil Contract

Amendments to the 2010 Standard Crime Contract

List of the relevant MoJ material, referred to in the contracts 

More information

If you have not received notification of the 2010 Standard Contract amendments (including extension to the 2010 Standard Civil Contract) or new Contract Schedule, or have a question over your allocation of Matter Starts, please contact your Contract Manager.