§ 31. Mr. Skeffingtonasked the Attorney-General whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the introduction of a system of legal advice for England and Wales under the Legal Aid and Advice Act.
§ The Solicitor-General (Sir Harry Hylton-Foster)No. I regret that I cannot at present add to what my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor said in the course of a debate in another place on 3rd May.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonIs the Solicitor-General aware that the National Council of Social Service and other voluntary bodies have gone on record pointing out how serious the position is in many parts of the country because there is no free legal advice available? Is he further aware that there are whole cities where such advice cannot be obtained, and that 549 in any event a system of some sort of advice would greatly assist in working the other parts of the scheme which are now in force? Would the Solicitor-General make the strongest possible representation to see whether something can be done?
§ The Solicitor-GeneralI agree with the hon. Gentleman that it is certainly desirable that some such scheme should be introduced when possible. I would crave leave to remind him of what my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor said:
The Law Society, who have been most helpful in regard to this Scheme, are considering whether they cannot find a better and cheaper method than they thought of at first."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, House of Lords, 3rd May, 1956; Vol. 197, c. 176.]
§ Mr. Turner-SamuelsWould the hon. and learned Gentleman not agree that because of the absence of advice many cases are being brought which are a waste of public money and that many other cases are not being brought at all because people do not get the proper advice which they ought to have in order to enable them to launch the actions?
§ The Solicitor-GeneralI would agree that that may well be one of the reasons why it is desirable to introduce a scheme of this kind.
§ Mr. JannerIn view of the fact that legislation dealing with rent control is being introduced, is not the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that a very large number of inquiries would have to be made by people who could not afford to consult lawyers? Would the hon. and learned Gentleman reconsider his decision about the speed of introducing this advice scheme in consequence of that action which is being taken by the Government?
§ The Solicitor-GeneralI will certainly take into account what the hon. Gentleman says, but I can hold out no promise that the introduction of the scheme would defeat the passing of the Bill.