HL Deb 27 June 1985 vol 465 cc833-4

3.20 p.m.

Lord Sudeley

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are satisfied that the levels of staffing in legal aid area offices and connected departments of the Department of Health and Social Security are adequate to meet the present demand in this field.

The Lord Chancellor (Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone)

My Lords, the levels of staffing in the offices in question must be considered in relation to the need to contain the total of public expenditure. The volume of applications for legal aid continues to grow and those dealing with these applications face increasing pressures, and we are most grateful to them for the way in which they have responded.

I have authorised the Law Society to incur expenditure in the current financial year which will enable it to employ up to 1,300 staff, compared with totals of up to 1,275 and 1,250 in the last two financial years. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services is transferring work on legal aid means assessment to a new centralised office in Preston. This will prove, I hope, more efficient and effective in service, and will be fully operational in April next year.

Lord Sudeley

My Lords, I thank the noble and learned Lord for that encouraging reply. May I ask whether he would be willing to reconsider his reply in the light of papers that I could lay before him in the case of Steven John Stannard? In so reconsidering his reply, would the noble and learned Lord be willing to do so in the knowledge that I can give him? This is the most outstanding instance of a number of delayed applications experienced by a firm of solicitors, who have referred the matter to me to draw to the noble and learned Lord's attention.

The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, I cannot say whether I will reconsider my reply until I see the papers put before me by my noble friend. But he should bear in mind the possibility of getting an emergency certificate.

Lord Elwyn-Jones

My Lords, as regards the announcement of the noble and learned Lord that the strengths of the staffs in these offices are to be increased, will there also be a willingness to spend a little more money, because there is a certain amount of apprehension about delay in treating with these applications?

The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, I think that when the noble and learned Lord looks at Hansard he will see that the increase will be the result of increased expenditure.

Lord Sudeley

My Lords, may I ask the noble and learned Lord further whether he would consider the letter written to me about this question by his noble and learned colleague Lord Scarman? In doing so, will he consider whether the public money used in the extra hearings referred to in that letter might be more gainfully employed than in those hearings?

The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, owing to a cough at an inopportune moment, I did not hear the whole of my noble friend's question. But I think I can say, as a general proposition, that I will consider anything that my noble friend puts before me.