LAA urged to delay compulsory CCMS use

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has been urged to delay the compulsory use of the client and cost management system (CCMS), which has been described as 'another failing government IT project' by practitioners.

A survey of nearly 600 legal aid lawyers who use CCMS revealed that, despite improvements to the system since it was first introduced, significant issues remain, making the system unfit for purpose.

The research from Resolution found that while seven out of ten respondents welcome electronic working, eight in ten did not believe CCMS would be ready for compulsory use from 1 April.

Over the past two weeks many legal aid firms have been unable to access the system. Two-thirds of Resolution members have reported being thrown out of the system while submitting an application.

The family law group has been working with other representative bodies to persuade the LAA to delay the compulsory use of CCMS, which was originally scheduled for February, until further improvements are made.

Having written to the 102 Petty France to express her organisation's concerns, Elspeth Thomson, co-chair of Resolution's legal aid committee, said: 'The LAA needs to see sense and delay the compulsory use of a system which is clearly not fit for purpose.

'We have had an overwhelming response from legal aid lawyers on the ground, who are working with some of the most vulnerable members of society to help them get access to justice. They are telling us that CCMS is not working as it should or, on some days, working at all.

'When the government announced last month that 86 courts were to close across England and Wales, we were told that savings would be used to modernise remaining courts, including greater use of technology.

'On the evidence of CCMS, together with the Form E fiasco late last year, practitioners are not exactly brimming with confidence about this prospect.'

Thomson continued: 'Anyone looking at the true picture across the country can see that this is yet another failing government IT project that risks further restricting access to justice for those dwindling numbers still eligible for legal aid.'

A spokesperson for the LAA said: 'The current plan is to make all remaining civil legal aid work mandatory on CCMS on 1 April, but we are keeping the situation under review in light of the situation with the portal.'

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