HL Deb 01 July 1975 vol 362 c90

2.38 p.m.

Lord GARDINER

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government which member of the new Ministerial Committee on the Social Services will represent that form of social service which is known as Civil Legal Aid and Advice.

The LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord Elwyn-Jones)

My Lords, the function of the Committee is to consider broad issues of social policy. It is not the practice to disclose the membership of Ministerial Committees, but I can assure your Lordships that I, as Lord Chancellor, look after legal aid whenever Ministers have occasion to discuss problems relating to it.

Lord GARDINER

My Lords, while thanking my noble and learned friend for that reply, may I ask whether it is likely that, if there is a Committee to divide up money available for social welfare, and social welfare in the form of civil legal aid and advice is not represented on the Committee, it may remain what it has always been, the Cinderella of the Social Services?

The LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, I shall be astute to ensure legal aid gets its proper share. The ordinary procedures of PESC and annual estimates will continue, and these arrangements will have no effect whatsoever on the financial allocation of funds for legal aid.