§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what discussions the Secretary of State has had with the Legal Services Commission on the funding of(a) human rights cases and (b) cases brought through legal aid against the closures of care homes for elderly people; and whether he was consulted by the Commission on the funding of such cases pursued by Hossacks Solicitors, of Kettering. [147464]
§ Mr. LammyRegular discussions take place between my Department and the Legal Services Commission about funding policy, of which human rights issues form an important part, given that cases which allege human rights violations by public bodies are a priority for Community Legal Service funding.
No discussions specifically concerning the funding of individual human rights cases, or publicly-funded cases against the closures of care homes for the elderly, have been held with Ministers. Nor have Ministers been consulted on the funding of such cases pursued by Hossacks Solicitors, as Ministers cannot intervene in individual funding applications.