Ministers fear the growing costs of criminal defence threaten legal aid

The Criminal Defence Service Bill aims to balance value for money with "maintaining the quality" of legal advice for those accused of a crime.

Ministers fear the costs of criminal defence threaten legal aid as a whole.

The bill would reintroduce the means test for criminal cases in magistrates' courts.

Those who can afford to pay for their own defence will have to do so but if they are subsequently cleared they will be able to recover their costs.