§ Mr. Buckasked the Attorney-General when it is proposed to extend the operation of the Legal Aid Scheme to proceedings under Sections 62, 64, and 65 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, relating, respectively, to children in need of care or protection, children beyond their parents' or guardians' control and refractory children in the care of a local authority.
§ The Attorney-GeneralMy noble Friend the Lord Chancellor will consider this further extension to the Legal Aid Scheme when he is satisfied that the Law Society's legal aid organisation is in a position to undertake the additional work which would be involved. There has been a heavy increase in the use of 145W the legal aid service since 1960, due largely to legal aid being made available for domestic proceedings in magistrates' courts. Until the organisation has been further strengthened, it will have as much work as it can reasonably manage and it would not be desirable to extend its responsibilities any further for the time being.