§ Mr. Keith HillTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 11, on the Franchising Advisory Committee, what were the dates of the two occasions on which the committee met; which organisations were represented at the meetings; when the members of the committee were advised of the decision to discontinue the committee; and what are the more effective mechanisms for communications and consultation which have been developed by the Legal Aid Board. [15494]
§ Mr. StreeterThe Franchising Advisory Committee met on 11 February 1994 and 14 October 1994. The organisations represented were: the Advice Services Alliance, Legal Aid Practitioners' Group, the Law Society and the National Consumer Council. The committee was informed in January 1997 of the board's decision to disband it.
Since October 1994, the board has held regular meetings of franchise liaison user groups. To date, 156 meetings have been held at various locations throughout England and Wales. At national level the board has met with the Advice Services Alliance on 13 occasions, the Legal Aid Practitioners' Group on five occasions and the Law Society on 12 occasions at which franchise issues have been raised. Those meetings are to continue.