(6 years, 4 months ago)
Commons Chamber Bambos Charalambous (Enfield, Southgate) (Lab)
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            Bambos Charalambous (Enfield, Southgate) (Lab) 
        
    
        
    
         Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD) 
        
    
        
    
        (6 years, 4 months ago)
Commons Chamber Bambos Charalambous
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            Bambos Charalambous 
        
    
        
    
        I plead not guilty to being a defendant.
While what the hon. Gentleman has said may be the case, the fact remains that those costs are incurred initially by the person making the journey, which causes hardship in the short term.
 Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD) 
        
    
        
    
        Is it not also true that people often do not know exactly what the procedures are and are deterred by uncertainty about the costs that they will face?
 Bambos Charalambous
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            Bambos Charalambous 
        
    
        
    
        The hon. Lady is absolutely right. Many people do not obtain the legal advice that they need to make such informed decisions, and that, too, is part of the problem.