§ Sir Hector MonroTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to undertake separate Scottish consultations on the current review of financial conditions for legal aid.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe Scottish Office is today publishing a consultation paper entitled "Eligibility for Civil Legal Aid in Scotland" which will be circulated to a wide range of interested parties. The paper, which covers non-matrimonial civil legal aid, reflects the Government's commitment to maintaining an effective legal aid system in Scotland. It presents a number of options for the future funding of civil cases, paying particular attention to the importance of targeting resources where need is greatest. It also proposes that legal aid would continue to be available free to those who could not reasonably be expected to make any contribution towards the costs of their case.
The paper is the first stage of a review covering all aspects of financial conditions for legal aid. Further stages will deal with legal aid in criminal and family cases.
Copies of the paper have been laid in the Libraries in both Houses of Parliament. Comments are invited before the end of October and no decisions will be taken before then.