Justice Minister Michael Scott pledged to crack down on Legal Aid bills racked up by expensive Queen’s Counsels from overseas.Meanwhile programmes in the Justice Department will be cut if they are not good value placing a greater onus on the “self-determination of individuals” to become law-abiding citizens. The move comes as part of a bid to trim the budget for the Ministry of Justice, which has suffered a 12 percent funding cut overall.The Legal Aid department within the Ministry has been given 30 percent less funding this year than last, and allocated $1.6 million this year. The department has shelled out extra cash of late owing to the number of people on trial for serious crimes triggered by the gang crisis. Several of those accused of murder have brought in QCs funded by legal aid, to present their cases to the jury.However, Mr Scott said during his budget statement Friday: “Access to justice for all citizens will be maintained within the proposed new framework for legal aid which will be funded with a reduced budget allocation.”Elaborating afterwards, he told The Royal Gazette defence lawyers will be canvassed on the idea of “restricting the elements and categories” of cases eligible for legal aid.He explained some civil cases and divorce cases may not qualify in future. And, he said, the criminal cases that qualify to get a Queen’s Counsel will be re-assessed. QCs are generally brought in from overseas as there are only a handful in Bermuda. Mr Scott said the Ministry will be looking at whether requests for top overseas lawyers are “meritorious or not”.Additional financial support will be given to psychologists to get prison inmates back on the straight and narrow, and entrepreneurial programmes to help them finance an independent lifestyle upon release.Funding has also been dished out to the witness protection programme, which has already seen several key witnesses in gang crimes relocated overseas. Mr Scott said the cost of sending them abroad will be split between several different departments, including the police. He was not in a position to specify a figure for witness protection.Shadow Justice Minister Mark Pettingill welcomed news that the budget for Queen’s Counsels will be looked at.“I support this position on foreign QCs,” he said. “It’s ridiculous, I entirely support the Government on the issue.”He said that just because someone is on trial for murder, that doesn’t necessarily mean they need a lawyer from overseas.