Challenge 4: Increase access to justice and encourage democratic participation 2011a). Priorities Ensure and effective In July 2013 a two-tiered fee was access to civil justice for introduced for claims made to everyone. employment tribunals or the Employment Appeals Tribunal, with discrimination Improve political and civil claims attracting the higher level of participation and increase payment. In England and Wales the diversity in public life. number of applications to employment tribunals dropped by 81% between January and March 2014, compared with the same period the previous year. Reforms to legal aid and other reforms affecting access to justice may pose a threat to equal protection Police stop and search powers continue and support. to have a disproportionate impact on young people, males, Black and Asian people. has been little increase in the diversity of people participating in civil, political and public life. Political representation There is been little evidence of Access to justice improvement in political representation in the last five years, with women, Major changes to legal aid have disabled people, young people, ethnic occurred through the Legal Aid, minorities, religious minorities and Sentencing and Punishment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). (LGBT) people remaining LASPO reduced the scope of cases represented at all levels of politics in for which civil legal aid is available, Wales. excluding the majority of housing, debt, welfare benefits, employment Women’s representation in the National and clinical negligence matters, and Assembly for Wales is the highest of all made legal GB political institutions although women aid in private family law cases available remain a minority at 42% of Assembly only where there is evidence of Members. The under-representation of domestic violence or child protection women is greater amongst Members of concerns. The UK Government found Parliament (23% of the total) and local that the reforms could have a greater councillors in Wales - 28% of the total impact on some people with protected (Expert Group on Diversity in Local characteristics (Ministry of Justice,
Challenge 4: Increase access to justice and encourage democratic participation Priorities Ensure and effective access to civil justice for everyone. Improve political and civil participation and increase diversity in public life. Reforms to legal aid and other reforms affecting access to justice may pose a threat to equal protection and support. has been little increase in the diversity of people participating in civil, political and public life. Access to justice Major changes to legal aid have occurred through the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). LASPO reduced the scope of cases for which civil legal aid is available, excluding the majority of housing, debt, welfare benefits, employment and clinical negligence matters, and made legal aid in private family law cases available only where there is evidence of domestic violence or child protection concerns. The UK Government found that the reforms could have a greater impact on some people with protected characteristics (Ministry of Justice, 2011a). In July 2013 a two-tiered fee was introduced for claims made to employment tribunals or the Employment Appeals Tribunal, with discrimination claims attracting the higher level of payment. In England and Wales the number of applications to employment tribunals dropped by 81% between January and March 2014, compared with the same period the previous year. Police stop and search powers continue to have a disproportionate impact on young people, males, Black and Asian people. Political representation There is been little evidence of improvement in political representation in the last five years, with women, disabled people, young people, ethnic minorities, religious minorities and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people remaining at all levels of politics in Wales. Women’s representation in the National Assembly for Wales is the highest of all GB political institutions although women remain a minority at 42% of Assembly Members. The under-representation of women is greater amongst Members of Parliament (23% of the total) and local councillors in Wales - 28% of the total (Expert Group on Diversity in Local represented
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