Lord Falconer,  Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, responding to the announcement that the implementation of the new duty provider crime contracts has been delayed until April 2016, said:

“This process has now descended into complete chaos.

"Labour has warned repeatedly about the negative impact these ill-thought through changes to duty provider contracts will have on access to justice.

"Serious questions have now been raised about the tendering process by two separate whistleblowers and it is worrying that the Government is still failing to provide adequate answers.

"Solicitors up and down the country have been left in limbo and will be rightfully angry at the way this has been handled.

"Ministers must now urgently get their act together, come clean about how these contracts were awarded and find a solution.”