Legislation that will double fees for legal aid lawyers is on the way, said the Minister of Health and Family Services on Friday.

Nelson Bascome (pictured) read a statement in the House of Assembly, which proposes that some of the work carried in and out of court would be raised from $100 an hour to $200 per hour.

And specialised cases and for work carried out in the Appeals Court would be raised to $280 an hour.

Mr. Bascome said he was exercised his right to make changes to regulations that had not been changed since 1989.

In February, Legal Aid lawyers refused to accept new clients in a bid to have fees raised in line with other lawyers who were charging $500 an hour.

Mr. Bascome told the House that in February the Bermuda Bar Association petitioned the Ministry of Health and Family Services to review the fees paid to legal counsel in performing services for the Legal Aid Programme.

He said the services included both in and out of court work. "The Bar Association drew to the Ministry's attention that these fees were out of date and had not been reviewed since 1989," said Mr. Bascome.

"The present fees do not reflect the value of the legal service provided or the proper rate for legal work to our legal aid clients.

"At that time, I promised the Bar Association that I would make inquires and review the state of affairs for the remuneration for the legal counsel and make changes accordingly."

Mr. Bascome said he and the Bar Association consulted and he had augmented the hourly fee for the various types of legal work.

He said were counsel was assisted by a member of the Institute of Legal Executive the rate of remuneration is $100 an hour.