The government has revealed that a draft bill will be brought forward to begin the reform of legal aid.

The Criminal Defence Service will be overhauled under Department of Constitutional Affairs plans to restrict state spending on lawyers.

The Legal Services Commission will take control of legal aid grants from the magistrates' courts in a bid to save £50 million per year of taxpayer's money.

Civil rights campaigners will claim the move will hit the ability of members of the public to access legal representation.

However ministers are determined to clamp down on the £1 billion budget which they believe is being exploited and abused in criminal cases.