§ Mr. FlightTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the level of access for rural communities under the proposed new arrangements for the franchising of law firms providing legal aid services. [76287]
§ Mr. HoonIt is for the Legal Aid Board, through its 13 Regional Legal Services Committees, to establish the legal needs and priorities of any particular community. Contracts will be granted to those quality assured legal service providers who can satisfy, as far as possible within the financial resources available, the communities' needs and priorities. The RLSC's will continue to monitor needs in their regions so that provision can be adjusted as the needs and priorities change.