§ Mr. MalinsTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many caseworkers in the London office of the Legal Services Commission will deal with applications by publicly-funded providers of immigration services for extensions to the number of hours permitted for advice and appeal preparation; and what their(a) legal qualifications and (b) experience of immigration work are. [172150]
§ Mr. LammyThere are 22 caseworkers in the London Office of the Legal Services Commission dealing with these applications. Seven of the caseworkers have been working on Legal Help, Controlled Legal Representation and certificated immigration and asylum work for over nine months, and three for over three years.
The London team has six solicitors, each of whom has a minimum of three years' immigration experience and acts as a coach and mentor for the more junior members of staff. The team can draw on support from a further three immigration solicitors, all with a minimum of three years' experience of immigration in private practice, and a team of eight consultants, all of whom are currently working in private practice.
The head of the London team has 19 years' experience in civil litigation and 15 years' experience in relation to immigration and asylum work specifically.