§ 86. Mr. D. Jonesasked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that the Law Society are declining to accept applications for posts as area secretaries under the Legal Aid and Advice Act from duly qualified solicitors, simply because they are not members of the Law Society; and whether he will take steps to see that every technically qualified person is permitted to submit an application and have it duly considered for these posts, which are in the main remunerated from public funds.
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The Solicitor-GeneralI am aware that the Law Society require that applicants for the posts in question on the staff of the Law Society must be members of the Law Society. The responsibility for formulating and administering the relevant part of the Legal Aid Scheme is placed by the Legal Aid and Advice Act, 1949, upon the Law Society, which exercises its functions under the general guidance of my noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor. My noble and learned friend is of opinion that the manner in which the Law Society fill these particular appointments is one for the discretion of the Law Society and that it would not be appropriate for him to intervene.
87. Mrs. Braddockasked the Attorney-General what arrangements are being made to safeguard and transfer pension rights of local government officers who may be appointed to positions under the Legal Aid and Advice Act. 1949.
The Solicitor-GeneralThe local Government officers in question are in the same position with regard to accrued pension rights as all other such officers who leave employment in a local authority to take up other employment, except when rules made under Section 2 of the Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provivisions) Act, 1948, provide in relation to any particular category of officers for transfer value and other payments out of the superannuation funds to which they have contributed. No such rules in force at present are applicable to the officers in question and no representation has been received from the local authorities or any other interested body requesting that the existing rules should be extended to include them.