Asylum seekers will face new limits on the time they can spend with lawyers in order to cut the government's legal aid bill by up to £400 million over the next three years.

Ministers said yesterday that the rising cost of legal aid, which could pass £2 billion this year, was unsustainable.

Initiatives include refusing legal aid for those taken into custody to give blood or urine samples in drink-drive cases.

The new proposals from the Lord Chancellor's Department will mean that asylum seekers will be entitled to five hours' legal advice and not be allowed solicitors at their initial interviews with Home Office officials.

Today's Sun reports that Lord Irvine is to leave the government and his office replaced with a justice department.