"Legal Aid Franchise" means that the Commission is satisfied that the solicitors are able to carry out Legal Aid work efficiently and to a high standard.

These services may be provided by salaried employees of the CLS or by private solicitors' firms (or advice agencies such as CABx) working on block contracts.

Solicitors' firms and other agencies had to bid for just 5000 contracts, and the remainder of the 11 000 solicitors' firms who previously offered legally aided advice were no longer able to do so.

The individual thus has a much-reduced choice, and (although many contracts went to Law Centres and CABx) may have some difficulty in finding an approved legal adviser at a convenient place and time.