LORD Chancellor Chris Grayling has defended his reforms to legal aid and judicial review to a North-East legal executive, and called for an overhaul of regulation.

He spoke at a Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (Cilex) dinner to Cilex president Stephen Gowland.

Mr Gowland, a chartered legal executive and solicitor, runs ILS Solicitors, in Durham City, said: “We are not convinced with how on-board you are with the principles described in the Magna Carta.

“Legal aid, judicial review and many other instruments are an expression of a principle that have defined our country; that of access to justice.”

The Lord Chancellor responded by saying: “On what basis can the judicial review system be said to be working well?

“A shell company can be set up, can secure a protective costs order against the Government and can challenge us over the statutorily sound decision as to what we do about the rather unusual discovery of the body of a past King of England.”

He also addressed attacks on him for not being a lawyer, saying many of the changes he has seen through were started by his predecessor Ken Clarke.

He added: “I’ve heard it said that this change is not necessary.

“That it’s simply a factor of a non-lawyer Lord Chancellor who doesn’t understand, respect or care about the legal system.

“Nothing could be further from the truth.

“I happen to believe not having a legal background does allow me to look afresh at some of the long standing issues in our justice system.”