§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will provide funding for the training of future legal aid solicitors. [62651]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe Lord Chancellor has made £1.5 million available in this financial year to contribute to the costs of tuition fees and training contracts for prospective solicitors who undertake to carry out publicly funded work for at least two years after qualification. The Legal Services Commission (LSC) published a consultation paper "Developing Legal Aid Solicitors" on 12 June 2002. The paper sets out the details of two schemes which will provide support for up to 100 training contracts, and 100 LSC sponsorship grants, from September 2002. Copies of the paper have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.