§ Ms MoranTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the 175W constituency, the effects on the Luton, South constituency of the Lord Chancellor's Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [156158]
§ Mr. LockThe Lord Chancellor's Department is responsible for the administration of the courts and for legal services. We have taken steps to improve the management and effectiveness of the services we provide and to meet customer needs, including working closely with other agencies to provide a fair, swift and effective system of justice, improve the availability of affordable and good quality legal services and to improve the lives of children and help build and sustain strong families.
In particular, Luton, South constituency is covered by the Luton and South Bedfordshire Community Legal Service Partnership, which is one of 170 Community Legal Service Partnerships throughout England and Wales.
Within the Luton, South constituency, as at 8 March 2001, 12 firms of solicitors and three Not-for-Profit organisations had been awarded Legal Service Commission contracts with an expected combined expenditure value in the financial year 2001–02 of £451,000. The contracts cover a range of categories, including Family, Welfare Benefits, Immigration, Debt, and Mental Health.
As at noon 30 March 2001, nine firms in the constituency had signed Criminal Defence Service contracts for 2001–02. During the year, the total value of payments for work done under these contracts is expected to be approximately £2,290,000.