HC Deb 22 April 2004 vol 420 cc654-5W
Mr. Gordon Marsden

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of current legal aid arrangements for (a) patients and (b) patients' families in dispute with NHS trusts; [166690]

(2) what assessment he has made of the case for extending the provision of free legal advice for (a) patients and (b) patients' families involved in formal complaints against NHS trusts. [166691]

Mr. Lammy

Legal aid is available for clinical negligence claims, provided that the means and merits tests are passed. We are currently reviewing the present arrangements, and we will be making an announcement on the way forward shortly.