Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill

Lord Hart of Chilton Excerpts

Monday 5th March 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord McNally]

My Lords, the principles underpinning this Bill include the need to establish very clearly the scope of civil legal aid services. We need to ensure that the funding of the scheme is sustainable in the light of the historic expansion of the scheme and the cost to the taxpayer. We have made difficult choices in order to focus legal aid in our priorities and therefore we will resist amendments that seek to expand the scope of the scheme. However, I accept that a case has been made by my noble friends Lord Thomas and Lord Phillips, and indeed by the noble Lord, Lord Bach. If they do not press their amendments this evening, I give a clear undertaking to the House to bring back our own amendment at Third Reading which I think will meet the concerns that have been expressed. I can reassure noble Lords that the Government accept the amendments in principle in so far as they would provide the Lord Chancellor with a power to add new civil legal services to Part 1 of Schedule 1. I hope that will allow the noble Lord to withdraw his amendment and await the government amendment at Third Reading.

[Lord Hart of Chilton]

My Lords, I accept the undertaking from the Minister.

[Lord Thomas of Gresford]

My noble friend will know that I have been urging this course upon him since the Bill was first drafted and I am delighted with the undertaking he has given.