§ Mr. DjanoglyTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many 377W telephone advisers will provide advisory services for Community Legal Services Direct (a) in total and (b) at any one time. [185150]
§ Mr. LammyThe Community Legal Service (CLS) Direct helpline has 50 'full time equivalent' advisers. 41.5 advisers offer advice in three categories of law (debt, welfare benefits and education) in England and Wales and 8.5 advisers are contracted to offer advice in housing and employment law in particular targeted areas. There are also non-qualified call centre agents, providing services within the CLS Direct telephone system in relation to the CLS Directory and leaflets. Four more advisers, focusing on debt, benefits and housing advice in Wales, are planned to come on stream in late summer.
There is no fixed number of advisers present at any given time. The national helpline service has been designed to be able to react to demand and the Legal Services Commission monitors the distribution of calls throughout the day working with its contractors to ensure that the number of advisers available is proportionate to demand.
§ Mr. DjanoglyTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much the Government grant to Legal Services Direct is for the next financial year. [185218]
§ Mr. LammyNo separate allocation for Community Legal Service Direct has been allowed in the total funding for the Legal Services Commission for 2005–06.
378WThe overall cost of Community Legal Service Direct in 2004–05 is expected to be £6.5 million.
This is made up of the cost of the national telephone service, the website (formerly JustAsk!), CLS Directory and CLS information leaflets.
It includes all payments made to technical contractors, contracted telephone advisors, all staffing and management costs within the Community Legal Service Direct team, and associated promotional costs.