GDWG launches new report!
Cutting Justice
Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group launches new report:
Cutting Justice – the impacts of the legal aid cuts for people detained in Brook House and Tinsley House IRCs
GDWG’s new report examines the impacts of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). This Act brought about wide ranging restrictions in access to legal aid for immigration cases. GDWG’s report finds that the Act has had a huge impact on those in detention in Brook and Tinsley. Over 75% of their sample of detainees would not qualify for access to free legal advice for either some or all of their immigration case, regardless of means or merits. Many detainees highlighted the negative impact of the cuts to legal aid on their psychological wellbeing. They describe feeling stressed and powerless. GDWG calls for immigration matters to be brought back into the scope of legal aid. You can read the report here.
