§ 30. Mr. Ben Chapman (Wirral, South)What encouragement he is giving to Government lawyers to do pro bono work. [67827]
§ The Solicitor-General (Mr. Ross Cranston)My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General and I are very supportive of pro bono work. My right hon. and learned Friend is a member of the advisory board of the Bar's pro bono unit and we have both attended functions to foster the work of the solicitors pro bono group. We are also keen to encourage Government lawyers who wish to participate in pro bono work, such as assisting at legal advice centres or citizens advice bureaux. Those in charge of the Government legal service have looked at the issue at the request of my right hon. and learned Friend and have concluded that it is possible to encourage Government lawyers to participate in pro bono work.
§ Mr. ChapmanDoes my hon. and learned Friend agree that the attitude of those who commit themselves to pro bono work is the same as that of the Government in the promotion of a community legal service? What specific measures are being taken to put that important service in place and what is the timetable?
§ The Solicitor-GeneralMy hon. Friend knows that the Access to Justice Bill is currently in the other place. We are hoping that it will be speedily dealt with there and then come here. He is right to say that the same principles underlie that Bill and our encouragement of pro bono work. We do not regard the encouragement of pro bono work as a substitute for the public provision of legal services. It is additional to the public support for access to justice that the Bill will provide.