Campaign groups have vowed to continue their fight against the government’s legal aid cuts, following the rejection of opposition amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill by a committee of MPs.
The Public Bill Committee, charged with scrutinising the proposals, last week voted to reject amendments submitted by Labour MPs seeking to return into the scope of legal aid the areas of law that the government wants to exclude, including welfare benefits, clinical negligence and housing.
Law Society legal aid manager Richard Miller said: ‘This is one stage among many in the legislative process for the Law Society to put forward its arguments and concerns, and we will continue to press our case both in the remaining Commons stages and in the Lords.’
As a priority, the Society wants all cases brought on behalf of children to be eligible for legal aid.
Together with lobby group JusticeRights, the Society’s Sound Off For Justice campaign has released a report showing that the cuts will remove direct, free legal aid advice and support from 6,000 under-18s and affect a further 140,000 children whose parents will be denied legal aid for family, welfare benefits and housing cases.
The report goes on to warn that the cuts could cost more than they save if young people are denied the legal support they need.
Law Society chief executive Des Hudson said: ‘Young people with problems relating to employment and welfare benefits should be given the correct legal advice and support today. If not, we will only be storing problems and further costs that the government will have to pick up tomorrow.’
James Sandbach, social policy officer at the Citizens Advice Bureau, said he did not expect concessions at the Public Bill Committee stage. CAB will continue to lobby for changes as the bill returns to the Commons and when it goes to the Lords.‘Most scrutiny committees are simply part of the parliamentary regime, with members appointed by whips and told how to vote. It is in the next stages where we hope to get changes to the bill,’ he stressed.
Sandbach said CAB is seeking ‘targeted changes’ to the bill, including the establishment of a more flexible mechanism for funding early advice that would see funding decisions devolved from the LSC to local partnerships.
Areas which CAB would like to see retained in scope are: housing cases where there is a prospect of homelessness, but where possession proceedings have not been commenced; and welfare benefits appeals and reviews.
The third reading of the bill is expected next month.
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