The government’s plans to shake up the legal aid system have been ‘filleted’ by opposition MPs who say the proposal will widen the gulf between haves and have-nots, the Financieele Dagblad said on Wednesday.

Justice minister Sander Decker wants to set up an independent agency to decide if cases should be eligible for legal aid and says work conflicts, divorce and tenancy disagreements should be more often solved via arbitration.

In addition, he plans to freeze the legal aid budget at €400m a year, and to pay lawyers for solving a situation rather than going to court. He also plans to introduce a system of fixed fees for legal aid depending on the type of case.

Opposition MPs have accused the minister of doing nothing to make sure legal aid lawyers are properly paid and criticise the gatekeeper plans.

‘Rather than having the right to access the justice system, people will have the right to a decision on whether or not they should have access,’ GroenLinks MP Kathalijne Buitenweg said during Wednesday’s debate.

Lawyers have also described the plans as bad and held protest demonstrations last week. They say the gatekeeper function is particularly unwelcome because in 63% of legal aid cases, the state is the other party.