Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Timms Excerpts
Tuesday 23rd November 2010

(13 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Jonathan Djanogly Portrait Mr Djanogly
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My hon. Friend is right to point out that changes in one area can have knock-on implications in another area. It is important to point out that that is precisely why we put out the legal aid consultation document on the same day as Sir Rupert Jackson’s proposals on no win, no fee agreements. The two can be weighed up together and the consultation will therefore take a holistic approach.

Stephen Timms Portrait Stephen Timms (East Ham) (Lab)
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On legal aid, the Minister has spoken today about working with voluntary sector organisations. Community Links’ welfare advice service in my area has seen 9,000 people so far this year. It is very cost-effective and has been paid for until now by legal aid. Under the Minister’s proposals, it will not be in the future. How will that work be supported by the Government in the period ahead?

Jonathan Djanogly Portrait Mr Djanogly
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People have the option of getting conditional fee agreements, also known as no win, no fee agreements. They can go to a lawyer and that lawyer will take a view on the chances of success. The question that must be asked—we will be very interested to hear the responses to it during the consultation—is whether, if the private sector is not prepared to take on the risk, the public sector should be prepared to do so and what proportion of that risk it will be prepared to take on.