Commons committee criticises decision to axe advice service
14.03.06

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has welcomed a report that strongly criticises a decision by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) to cut funding for the Specialist Support Services, which are used by legal aid solicitors, law centres and advice bureaux in dealing with complex legal problems.

19 expert agencies including CPAG, Citizens Advice, Liberty, MIND, Shelter and the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants are currently contracted by the LSC to provide specialist advice in complex areas of social welfare law such as welfare benefits, debt, housing and immigration to front-line advisers.

But the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee’s report, published today, finds that the LSC decided to end the contracts, which had received very positive feedback, after a short consultation and with only six months notice. Evidence to the Committee revealed a flawed consultation process in which the option of closing down the service was not mentioned. The Committee is calling on the LSC to look at the decision again.

Kate Green, Chief Executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, said:

“CPAG welcomes this report and we strongly urge the LSC to reconsider its disastrous decision to axe the specialist support service. Specialist support means that front-line advisers, who cannot be experts on every complex aspect of social welfare law, can provide the best possible service to their clients. It is a vital and cost-effective service, which the LSC’s own consultation found to be working very well.

“We are encouraged by Lord Falconer’s promise to the Constitutional Affairs Committee that he will personally look at the decision and the process by which it was made. He should do so quickly and with strong consideration to the committee’s report, so that this much-needed service can be saved.”

Rt Hon Alan Beith MP, Chairman of the committee, said:

“The LSC must look at this decision again. Apart from the concerns about the way this decision was made, we can’t accept that a telephone advice service for consumers can replace specialist advice to lawyers dealing with hugely complicated legal issues. This is specialist legal advice needed by vulnerable groups – people with mental health, immigration and complex public law problems – and it will be very difficult for them to understand this from a phone conversation. What’s more, this will not be a free service.

“All the evidence we received pointed to the success of the Specialist Support Services. There is a worrying lack of support for the proposed replacement, and questions as to why the LSC would so abruptly and prematurely end its own pilots. We are very glad that in public oral evidence to the Committee, the Lord Chancellor has assured us that he will personally look at both the process and the decision itself.”

Over 150 MPs have also backed an Early Day Motion calling on the Government to “restore funding for specialist support and to strengthen the provision of legal advice for those in greatest need.”

Notes to Editors:

1. For further information please contact CPAG Press Officer Alex Belardinelli on 020 7812 5216, 07816 90930 or abelardinelli@cpag.org.uk

2. The Constitutional Affairs Committee’s report can be read here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmconst/919/91902.htm

3. A full list of organisations funded by the LSC to provide Specialist Support Services and their areas of expertise is available here: http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/docs/cls_main/Specialist_Support_Advice_Lines.pdf

4. Early Day Motion 1542 has been signed by 159 MPs and can be read here: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=29963&SESSION=875

For further information please contact:
Alex Belardinelli
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
abelardinelli@cpag.org.uk