§ Mr. RammellTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department which measures of local deprivation his Department and its agencies use in considering allocation of funds to local projects. [66721]
§ Mr. HoonThirteen Regional Legal Services Committees (RLSCs) have been established to advise the Legal Aid Board on the nature and extent of need for legal services throughout England and Wales and how need should be prioritised. Each RLSC is developing a Regional Strategy which identifies local need for legal services and makes recommendations for supply in relation to that need. The assessment of need is based on census data, the Index of Local Deprivation, the number of Income Support claimants, Housing Benefit claimants and Disability Living Allowance claimants.