UFO Info Week-End

THE BOOK The Lost Literature of Socialism by George Watson an edited extract of which appeared in your Culture section

THE BOOK, The Lost Literature of Socialism by George Watson, an edited extract of which appeared in your Culture section (22 November), should include an objective assessment of the author’s political beliefs. Some of the points I do not expect to find covered in his book are:
1. The following comment made by Adolf Hitler to the Daily Express in 1930: “Our adopted term Socialist has nothing to do with Marxian Socialism” The interesting words being “adopted term”.2. The fact that Hitler only came to power thanks to the backing of right- wing conservatives.We are invited to believe that a government brought to power by conservatives, subjected communists, socialists, trade unionists and liberals to internment or execution in order to create a socialist state. The contradictions are surely just too great.EDMOND MCMONNIESLiverpool. From the Lord Chancellor: Last week, the Independent on Sunday said that lawyers were “stunned” by my proposals to reform criminal legal aid I find that surprising. I announced in October 1997 that I see contracting with lawyers in private practice as the way forward for publicly funded criminal cases, as well as for civil cases.

Your story said, accurately, that criminal legal aid cost the taxpayer pounds 733m last year. Costs have gone up by 44 per cent in five years while the number of cases dealt with has only gone up by 10 per cent. And the increases in expenditure are not matched by evidence of improved services to defendants or value for money for taxpayers. The Government’s duty is to make sure that public money is spent effectively.

I want to ensure that people suspected of or charged with criminal offences can be confident of a good-quality service from lawyers paid at public expense while the taxpayer gets value for money. At present, any formally qualified lawyer can do criminal legal aid work and then claim fees according to the work done and the time spent. This does not guarantee a quality service for defendants or value for money for the taxpayer.
The proposed Criminal Defence Service will only give contracts for publicly funded work to lawyers of proven quality. This does not negate the principle that a defendant can choose his own lawyer. In most cases, suspects or defendants will be able to choose any lawyer who has a contract with the CDS Fixed-price contracts will be an incentive to efficiency. Competition for contracts will maintain quality of service.Your story made much of US-style public defenders.

The Government has no plans to move towards a wholesale public defender service. We do not exclude the possibility of some directly employed lawyers having a part in future criminal defence services. To those who argue that state salary and independence are incompatible, I would point to the judges. They are paid from state funds; their independence is beyond question.Your editorial expressed concerns for a defendant’s right to a fair trial and the expectation of “equality of arms”.

The Government has incorporated the European Convention of Human Rights, which embodies both concepts, into domestic legislation through the Human Rights Act. Criminal defence services will have to comply fully.My proposals are not a threat to either the independence of lawyers or the rights of defendants They are not a threat to justice. They are a means of guaranteeing good quality, publicly funded criminal defence services, provided by lawyers whose fundamental duties are to their clients and the court and at a price the taxpayer can afford.THE RIGHT HON THE LORD IRVINE OF LAIRG. England 11 Australia 12

Try: Guscott Pens: Eales 4
Pens: Catt 2Half-time: 3-3 Attendance: 48,000A CLOSE-RUN thing, an exquisite try, shame about the rest. If ever a game will survive in the memory for one solitary moment of brilliance, this was it. But even that gem was followed by one crucial, unpardonable error which ultimately cost England the victory their play had probably deserved, although in terms of mediocrity there was little to separate the sides.John Eales had just kicked his third penalty to restore the Wallabies lead 12 minutes from time, England immediately returned to the attack and for the first time succeeded in putting together enough passes to seriously disturb Australia’s hitherto impregnable defence.Austin Healey and Mike Catt set Matt Perry free. The full-back, having pranced through the Wallabies then had the additional and infinitely harder task of side-stepping a referee whose poor positioning was the least of his troubles on what was a dour day for him.But back to the action.