HL Deb 21 October 1980 vol 413 cc1904-5

10 After Clause 18, insert the following new clause:

'Contributions from persons receiving legal aid.

. In the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1967—

(a) in section 3 (contributions from assisted persons), after subsection (1) there shall be inserted the following subsection— (1A) Regulations may provide that there shall be substituted—

  1. (a) for the yearly sum specified in subsection (1) above, such other yearly sum as may be prescribed by the regulations;
  2. (b) for the capital sum so specified, such other capital sum as may be so prescribed; and

(d) in section 15 (regulations), in each of subsections (7) and (8), after the words "3(1)" there shall be inserted the words "or (1A)".'

The Earl of MANSFIELD

My Lords, I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 10. This clause restores to the Secretary of State the power to adjust the lower income limit for civil legal aid—that is to say, the level below which an assisted person is not liable to make a contribution from income. The Secretary of State was inadvertently deprived of this power by the provisions of the Legal Aid Act 1979. I beg to move.

Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said amendment.—(The Earl of Mansfield.)