Overhaul Of The Legal Aid Scheme

EDM number 1565 in 1992-93, proposed by Ronnie Campbell on 10/03/1993.

That this House reaffirms its commitment to the basic objectives of the legal aid scheme stated by the Lord Chancellor's Department in 1948, as witnessed by the Legal Aid and Advice Act 1949, that no one will be financially unable to prosecute a just and reasonable claim or defend a legal right; recognises the need for the United Kingdom to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights; expresses its support for the concept that access to legal advice and justice should be available to all regardless of income or financial means; is alarmed that the Government, which purports to espouse citizens' rights, through the Lord Chancellor's Department, plans to take out of the legal aid scheme's provisions some 14 million people; calls upon the Government to establish a commission to investigate and promote a cost-effective, comprehensive and socially fair system of legal aid provision for the people of Britain which places equal importance to the needs to ensure equal access to the justice system for all regardless of income and the need to overhaul the legal system so that it is seen to be efficient, modern and fair and to bring forward its proposals to Parliament at the earliest opportunity for full debate and early consideration.

This motion has been signed by a total of 61 MPs.