Britain’s lord chancellor has told MPs that strike action by the organisation representing criminal barristers in England and Wales would be “totally unwarranted” now.

Dominic Raab (pictured) was speaking after announcing that he would invest an extra £135 million a year into criminal legal aid.

Industrial action by the criminal bar could begin from 11 April, after 94% of just over1,900 Criminal Bar Association (CBA) members voted in favour of refusing all ‘returns’ under the advocates graduated fee scheme (AGFS) unless the government agreed to a series of steps – including increasing fees paid under the AGFS by 25% a year.

The ballot had taken place before an announcement yesterday (15 March) that the Ministry of Justice would “match” a recommendation, made in a review by Sir Christopher Bellamy, of an extra £135 million a year for criminal legal aid.

‘Constructive tone’

The CBA believes a 15% payment increase – the minimum that Bellamy recommended in his review – is insufficient to retain enough criminal barristers to keep the wheels of justice turning.

Asked about the CBA action in the House of Commons, Raab said that it would be “totally unwarranted for the Criminal Bar Association to now proceed with strike action”.

He later added that he hoped the CBA “will take the more constructive tone we’ve heard from the other practitioner groups”.

During the debate, Raab said that the British government needed to follow “public law principles”, and consult on the issue for 12 weeks. Reforms would be introduced via a statutory instrument, which would come into force in October.