HL Deb 04 April 1979 vol 399 cc1915-6

[References are to Bill [98] as first printed for the Commons.]

1 Page 4, line 20, leave out ("£815") and insert ("£1,500")

2 Page 4, line 22, leave out first ("such") and insert ("one quarter of the excess or such other")

3 Page 4, line 24, leave out ("£365") and insert("£1,200")

4 Page 7, line 25, leave out ("that subsection") and insert ("subsection(6A)")

5 Page 7, line 27, leave out ("(6A)") and insert ("(6B)")

6 Page 8, line 28, leave out ("£815") and insert ("£1,500")

7 Page 8, line 30, leave out first ("such") and insert ("one quarter of the excess or such other")

8 Page 8, line 32, leave out ("£365") and insert ("£1,200")

The LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, with the leave of the House, I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos.1 to 8 en bloc. Amendments Nos.1, 3, 6 and 8 take account in England, Wales and Scotland of the improvements in the income and capital limits for free legal aid which are due to come into effect on 6th April. The regulations making these improvements, which will make legal aid available to over 70 per cent. of households with two parents and two children, were approved by the House after the Bill was introduced, and therefore it is necessary to amend the figures in the Bill.

When I moved the Second Reading of the Bill on 8th February, I said that it was an essential part of the package of improvements in the financial conditions for legal aid and that it would enable me to reduce the amount of a person's legal aid contribution by regulation. I also said that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I intended to use this power to reduce the contribution fraction from one-third to one-quarter. Thus, instead of a person's contribution being one-third of the difference between the new free income limit and his disposable income, it would be only one-quarter. Amendments Nos.2 and 7 effect this reduction in the contribution fraction from one-third to one-quarter in the Bill itself, and will therefore make it unnecessary for us to make further regulations. The other Amendments, Nos.4 and 5, relate to Scotland only and are purely drafting Amendments. I beg to move.

Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendments.—(The Lord Chancellor.)

Viscount COLVILLE of CULROSS

My Lords, may I suggest to noble Lords on these Benches that it is right to deal with these Amendments en bloc. They are technical, and certainly they do nothing new which the noble and learned Lord has not told the House about all along in the course of discussing the Bill itself first of all, and then four orders for Affirmative Resolution a few weeks ago.

I am glad that the noble and learned Lord has been able to tidy up the matter by means of these technical Amendments. He has given us rather more of an explanation than I believe was given in another place, and students of the matter will be grateful to the noble and learned Lord for doing so. I do not wish to say anything more about these Amendments except that we on this side of the House approve them.

The LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Viscount. May I say what personal satisfaction it gives me today to move this Bill. It is the result of a considerable period of effort.

On Question, Motion agreed to.