PROCEDURE (Hansard, 19 October 1971)

HC Deb 19 October 1971 vol 823 c622 622

§ Lords Amendment: No. 37 in page 21, line 36, at end insert: ( ) The rules of procedure shall provide that any appellant shall have the right to be legally represented".

§ Mr. Sharples
I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.
The Amendment requires the rules of procedure for immigration appeals to provide that any appellant should have the right to be legally represented. That is the existing situation and it is the Government's intention that that situation should continue. That is why the Amendment was accepted by the Government in another place.

§ Mr. Peter Archer
It is one thing to have a right to something and quite another to have the means. Is there any proposal to make legal aid available to ensure legal representation in these circumstances? I suspect that the answer is, "No".

§ Mr. Sharples
It is; that is the existing position.

§ Mr. Archer
It may be the existing position, but it is still unsatisfactory. However, at least the House knows what the position is. I cannot take the matter further at this stage.

§ Question put and agreed to.