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25

 

House of Commons

 
 

Notices of Amendments

 

given on

 

Thursday 14 July 2011

 

For other Amendment(s) see the following page(s):

 

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill Committee 13-24

 

Public Bill Committee


 

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of

 

Offenders Bill

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

62

 

Clause  1,  page  1,  line  6,  at end insert ‘for the purposes of promoting access to

 

justice and equality of arms.’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

63

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(6)    

In carrying out his functions under this Act the Lord Chancellor shall—

 

(a)    

protect and promote the pubic interest;

 

(b)    

support the constitutional principle of the rule of law;

 

(c)    

seek to improve access to justice;

 

(d)    

seek to increase social mobility, diversity and the flow of new entrants

 

into the legal profession.

 

(7)    

The Lord Chancellor must each year lay a report before Parliament explaining

 

how he has carried out his functions under section 1(6).

 

(8)    

The Lord Chancellor must each year lay a report before Parliament describing in

 

his opinion the extent to which any changes he has made to the amount of

 

expenditure on civil legal aid has caused additional costs to other departments of

 

state.

 

(9)    

Before submitting the report to Parliament under section 1(8) the Lord Chancellor

 

shall submit the report to the Comptroller and Auditor General for approval.’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

64

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  31,  at beginning insert—

 

‘(A1)    

In carrying out the Lord Chancellor’s functions under this Part, the Lord

 

Chancellor must have regard to the need to ensure that legally aided advice and


 
 

Notices of Amendments: 14 July 2011                     

26

 

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill continued

 
 

representation is of comparable quality to non-legally aided advice and

 

representation.’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

65

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  31,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘must’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

67

 

Clause  3,  page  3,  line  3,  leave out subsection (5) and insert—

 

‘(5)    

The Lord Chancellor in setting and monitoring standards under this Part must

 

have regard to the financial and administrative burden placed on the legal

 

profession.

 

(6)    

The Lord Chancellor in setting and monitoring standards under this Part must

 

have regard to the long-term sustainability of the legal profession and the need

 

adequately to train and supervise new entrants to the profession.’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

68

 

Clause  4,  page  3,  line  17,  at end insert—

 

‘(c)    

make decisions independently of Government, and

 

(d)    

make all decisions in accordance with the interests of justice.’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

69

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end insert—

 

‘(6)    

In carrying out all of his functions under this Part, the Lord Chancellor must have

 

regard to the need to promote access to justice and equality of arms.’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

70

 

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  20,  at end insert—

 

‘(3A)    

Before making regulations relating to the payment of remuneration to barristers

 

and solicitors in accordance with subsection (3) the Lord Chancellor shall consult

 

the General Council of the Bar and the Law Society.

 

(3B)    

Where the Lord Chancellor makes regulations in accordance with subsection (3)

 

he shall have regard to the need to secure the provision of services of the

 

description to which the order relates by a sufficient number of competent

 

persons and bodies.’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

71

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  33,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘must’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

72

 

Clause  4,  page  3,  line  12,  at end insert—

 

‘(2A)    

The Lord Chancellor shall ensure that the Director, or those providing assistance

 

to the Director in the performance of his functions under this Part, have

 

experience in or knowledge of—

 

(a)    

the provision of criminal and civil legal services which can be funded

 

under this Part,


 
 

Notices of Amendments: 14 July 2011                     

27

 

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill continued

 
 

(b)    

the work of the courts,

 

(c)    

social conditions, and

 

(d)    

management.

 

(2B)    

Every person who exercises any function in relation to the performance of the

 

Director’s functions under this Part shall have regard to the desirability of

 

exercising it so as to—

 

(a)    

promote access to justice and equality of arms,

 

(b)    

promote improvements in the range and quality of civil and criminal

 

services provided in accordance with this Part and in the ways in which

 

they are made accessible to those who need them, and

 

(c)    

ensure that the services provided in relation to any matter are appropriate

 

having regard to its nature and importance.’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

73

 

Clause  8,  page  5,  line  28,  after ‘Schedule 1’, insert ‘or fall within the category of

 

proceedings provided for at subsection (1A)’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

74

 

Clause  8,  page  5,  line  31,  at end insert—

 

‘(1A)    

Subject to section 10, civil legal services are to be available to an individual for

 

the purposes of challenging an act or omission of a public authority.

 

(1B)    

“public authority” has the same meaning as in section 6 of the Human Rights Act

 

1998.’.

 

Mr Andy Slaughter

 

75

 

Clause  8,  page  5,  line  27,  leave out subsection (1).

 

Mr Andy Slaughter

 

76

 

Clause  8,  page  5,  line  29,  leave out paragraph (b).

 

Mr Andy Slaughter

 

77

 

Clause  8,  page  5,  line  32,  after ‘omitting’, insert ‘or adding’.

 

Mr Andy Slaughter

 

78

 

Clause  8,  page  5,  line  32,  leave out subsection (2).

 

Kate Green

 

79

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(6)    

The Lord Chancellor must ensure that when an individual is in dispute with the

 

state or with a body that is an emanation of the state, in relation to a matter of

 

welfare benefits, employment, debt, housing, or immigration, education or

 

asylum support, that the individual shall continue to be entitled to legal advice,

 

assistance and representation against the state or emanation of the state on the

 

same basis existing prior to the enactment of this Act.’.


 
 

Notices of Amendments: 14 July 2011                     

28

 

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill continued

 
 

Kate Green

 

80

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(7)    

The Lord Chancellor must ensure that in any case where the state or an emanation

 

of the state has legal advice, assistance or representation, a party in dispute with

 

the state or an emanation of the state, shall continue to be entitled in turn to

 

equality of arms and to legal aid for legal advice, assistance or representation in

 

relation to any claim in welfare benefits, employment, debt, housing, or

 

immigration, education or asylum support, as they would have been prior to the

 

enactment of this Act.’.

 

Kate Green

 

81

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(8)    

The Lord Chancellor must ensure that any individual bringing an appeal on a

 

point of law or perversity to the Upper Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal,

 

the Social Security Commissioners, the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court

 

shall continue to be entitled to legal aid on the same basis as they would have been

 

prior to the enactment of this Act. No individual shall be left without access to

 

legal aid in appeal cases in such higher courts and Tribunals which would have

 

been in scope prior to the enactment of this Act and on the same basis existing

 

prior to the enactment of this Act.’.

 

Kate Green

 

82

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(9)    

The Lord Chancellor must ensure that where an individual would experience

 

difficulty protecting their legal rights by reason of learning difficulties, mental

 

health problems, other disabilities, language difficulties, problems of literacy or

 

from not being articulate, in relation to welfare benefits, employment, debt,

 

housing, or immigration, education or asylum support, that they continue to be

 

entitled to legal aid on the same basis as they would have been prior to the

 

enactment of this Act.’.

 

Kate Green

 

83

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(10)    

The Lord Chancellor must ensure that no areas of law within the scope of legal

 

aid prior to the enactment of this Act are removed from the scope of legal aid

 

unless and until a full independent assessment of the costs of removal has been

 

undertaken and presented to Parliament and in particular unless and until it has

 

been reasonably established that the removal from scope will not increase the

 

deficit.’.

 

Kate Green

 

84

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(11)    

The Lord Chancellor must ensure that a detailed strategic plan to fund the not for

 

profit legal advice sector is adequately prepared prior to any decisions being

 

made on changes to the scope of legal aid, to ensure that individuals are not left

 

without access to legal advice and representation in relation to problems of

 

welfare benefits, employment, debt, housing, or immigration, education or

 

asylum support.’.


 
 

Notices of Amendments: 14 July 2011                     

29

 

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill continued

 
 

Kate Green

 

85

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(12)    

The Lord Chancellor must ensure, before implementing any changes to legal aid

 

in this Act, that in no part of the country will the proposals result in advice deserts

 

where it is not reasonably practicable for any person to be able to access legal

 

advice and assistance in relation to welfare benefits, employment, debt, housing,

 

or immigration, education or asylum support.’.

 

Kate Green

 

86

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(13)    

The Lord Chancellor must ensure that any individual wishing to access legal aid

 

through face to face provision shall be entitled so to do and shall not be compelled

 

to do so through a telephone gateway.’.

 

Kate Green

 

87

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(14)    

The Lord Chancellor must ensure that before any proposals to provide legal aid

 

through a telephone gateway are progressed a full further public consultation

 

takes place on the specific details of such proposals and such proposals are fully

 

assessed for cost.’.

 

Kate Green

 

88

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(15)    

The Lord Chancellor must ensure that if a telephone gateway is introduced

 

sufficient protection is in place to protect the rights of those who would have

 

problems accessing it by reason of learning difficulties, mental health problems,

 

language difficulties, problems of literacy, or from not being articulate.’.

 

Kate Green

 

89

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(16)    

The Lord Chancellor must ensure that before any changes to legal aid set out in

 

this Act are made, a full independent assessment is carried out into any likely

 

increase of litigants in person resulting from such changes and the effect

 

accordingly on the deficit.’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

90

 

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  29,  at end insert—

 

‘(6)    

The Lord Chancellor may make funding availble on a discretionary basis for civil

 

legal advice on matters not covered in Schedule 1, where such advice

 

complements the civil legal services provided for under that schedule.’.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

91

 

Schedule  1,  page  110,  line  4,  at end insert—

 

‘(c)    

where an individual’s financial difficulties could lead to loss of home.’.


 
 

Notices of Amendments: 14 July 2011                     

30

 

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill continued

 
 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

92

 

Schedule  1,  page  116,  line  8,  leave out paragraph 15.

 

Yvonne Fovargue

 

93

 

Schedule  1,  page  115,  line  13,  at end insert—

 

‘Welfare benefit cases

 

40         

Civil legal services provided in relation to any review or appeal concerning a

 

benefit, allowance, payment, credit or pension under—

 

      (1)  

the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992,

 

      (2)  

the Jobseeker’s Act 1995,

 

      (3)  

the State Pension Credit Act 2002,

 

      (4)  

the Tax Credits Act 2002,

 

      (5)  

the Welfare Reform Act 2007,

 

      (6)  

the Welfare Reform Act 2011, or

 

      (7)  

any other enactment relating to social security.’.

 

Kate Green

 

94

 

Schedule  1,  page  114,  line  30,  after ‘2010’, insert ‘or any European directive in

 

force relating to equality or discrimination.’.

 

Kate Green

 

95

 

Schedule  1,  page  115,  line  2,  at end insert—

 

‘38A      

Civil legal services in relation to—

 

      (1)  

employment law,

 

      (2)  

all areas of debt-related disputes not otherwise covered in this schedule, and

 

      (3)  

all areas of housing law not otherwise covered in this schedule.’.

 


 
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Revised 15 July 2011