Yet ScotGov Justice refuse to see the link between this and plummeting defence solicitor numbers. Fewer lawyers means fewer trial slots means longer on remand. It's not rocket science...

The time is now Ian Moir Law Society Scotland Scottish Solicitors Bar Association Faculty of Advocates to have a Holyrood committee inquiry into the failures of criminal and civil legal aid in Scotland.

Read our President Simon Brown (Simon) in today's Herald. SNP accused of procrastination as lawyers warn criminal justice system may collapse heraldscotland.com/news/25103358.…

Hear our Ian Woodward-Nutt (Ian Woodward-Nutt) on BBC drivetime discussing the latest SSBA action. Segment from 25 minutes in. bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0…

Hear our President Simon Brown (Simon) on Scotcast today talking about the crisis in criminal law. bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0…

Our President Simon Brown (Simon) on Good Morning Scotland earlier (at 07.36) talking about the continued crisis in legal aid. bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0…

Someone should tell John Swinney that ScotGov Justice are still paying Legal Aid at rates more or less the same as those fixed in 1999...

The crisis in legal aid is a very real problem. With the time it takes a case to get to trial in the High Court having almost doubled in the last 5 years (22 weeks to 43 weeks), can ScotGov Justice not see that there are simply no longer enough lawyers to make the system work?

This is not news to anyone working in the criminal courts. The entire criminal justice system is on its knees, yet ScotGov Justice continues to ignore the defence bar. It's a simple equation, fewer lawyers = longer delays. The time for investment is now. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

The SSBA proposal to secure the future of the criminal bar would have cost around £15m/year. ScotGov Justice dismissed it as too expensive. Yet we can pay over twice that a year in Police overtime... policeprofessional.com/news/stretched…