Law Centre Network

EDM number 692 in 2004-05, proposed by Austin Mitchell on 08/02/2005.

That this House remembers the principles established in the Access to Justice Act 1999 that it is not enough for people to have rights but that they must be able to enforce these rights; notes with concern that the number of people assisted by Community Legal Service funds has dropped by nearly half the number of those funded in 2000; recognises that anticipated additional funding from local authorities meant to provide legal and advice services has not occurred, giving rise to a legal aid lottery which denies people access to justice; notes with alarm that two law centres in Humberside and Liverpool face closure because local authorities have reduced or stopped their funding; further notes that people are increasingly losing their right to seek independent legal advice; believes that this undermines Government objectives for regenerating deprived neighbourhoods, affects the most vulnerable and socially excluded members of society and ensures that such legal triumphs as Humberside's victory in winning redundancy payments for fishermen are unlikely now to be repeated; and calls on the Government to adopt a five-year plan to tackle disadvantage and which will secure funds to develop a national network of law centres and advice providers.

This motion has been signed by a total of 116 MPs.