§ 39. Lieut.-Colone I Liptonasked the Attorney-General whether, pending the introduction of the Legal Aid Scheme, he will recommend that the present weekly 2347 maximum income of £4 for applicants under the Poor Persons Rules be increased.
§ The Attorney-General (Sir Hartley Shawcross)No, Sir. That part, of the Legal Aid and Advice Act which has not been deferred deals with litigation covered at present by the Poor Persons Rules and will be brought into force at about the date previously planned, namely, July, 1950. If the income limits under the existing system were increased as an interim measure, the Law Society could not both reorganise their present arrangements for that purpose and plan for the new scheme so as to be able to administer it by that date.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonDoes the reply of my right hon. and learned Friend mean that we are now definitely assured that the first part of the Legal Aid Scheme will be definitely introduced in or about July of next year?
§ The Attorney-GeneralYes. We hope that that part of the scheme which deals with litigation in the High Court will be introduced about that date; and that is the part of the scheme which covers the existing poor persons procedure.