Legal Aid Regulations

EDM number 1961 in 2006-07, proposed by Keith Vaz on 19/07/2007.

That this House notes the Government's intention imminently to lay The Community Legal Service (Costs) (Amendment) Regulations 2007, The Community Legal Service (Funding) (Counsel in Family Proceedings) (Amendment) Order 2007, The Community Legal Service (Financial) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2007 and The Community Legal Service (Funding) Order 2007; expresses deep concern that, despite widespread anxiety about the effect of the regulations on the part of the legal profession, among voluntary and not-for-profit providers and across all sides of the House, they are set to come into force on 1st October and will therefore be laid without any opportunity for Parliament to debate them in advance; calls on the Government to delay the coming into force of the regulations to allow time for Parliament, if it so desires, to debate the regulations before they take effect; and urges the Government to invite all relevant stakeholders to a meeting to discuss an alternative approach to legal aid, which continues to meet the Government's requirements, but does not threaten the sustainability of legal aid nor access to justice for vulnerable people.

This motion has been signed by a total of 71 MPs.