Post by Douglas Johnson on Feb 8, 2012 11:04:23 GMT
Dates have been announced for the Report stage in the Lords - 5th and 7th March. This is important because this is where peers are expecting the Government to make all the amendments they will need to address the concerns that have been the subject of amendments proposed and debated in the Committee Stages, from peers on all sides of the House.
The report stage dates have now been confirmed-2 further dates added since Douglas' previous post. The dates are 5,7, 12 and 14 March 2012. See link below. Time to up the campaigning-the next 3-4 weeks will be absolutely crucial in terms of contacting Lords.
Post by jamessandbach on Feb 16, 2012 14:17:55 GMT
If writing to Peers etc..would suggest you target Lord Thomas, leads for ld's on the bill encouragring him to support an all party amendment on legal help for welfare benefit review and appeals THOMASM@parliament.uk
Post by jamessandbach on Feb 16, 2012 15:56:32 GMT
because at this stage it looks as we don't have the numbers on side or enough rebels in terms of actually winning votes - there will certainly be amendments down on all areas of scope - some are more likely to succeed than others. The libdem peers are more open to supporting a welfare benefits amendment than other social welfare areas & co-signing with labour, but they're wobling even on that..
Justice for All and Sound Off and others really need to be getting on to everyone then with a clear plan as to what needs to be done in terms of lobbying and when. It's a bit of a lull/phoney war at present.
Let's just remind ourselves of what Lord Phillips said as quoted in the Gazette. Let's also remind ourselves that the Lib Dem conference voted against these cuts and the Lib Dems have stated they are the party of civil liberties and justice and Lib Dem peers have stood up and criticised the bill as it went through committee stage .
"Lord Phillips of Sudbury, a former solicitor, said the majority of cross bench and Labour peers, along with some on the government benches, are ‘highly critical’ of the bill’s legal aid provisions. The bill aims to save £350m a year by removing legal aid for vast areas of law.
At a meeting last night launching the Legal Action Group’s London Advice Watch report, Phillips said: ‘We can reasonably expect major changes to the bill at the report stage. There is no doubt that if the government doesn’t make major concessions there’ll be votes on amendments in the House of Lords and the government will lose. I promise you that.’
Phillips said the majority of Liberal Democrat peers will either vote against the government of abstain. It will then be for the House of Commons to ensure changes made in the upper house are not simply overturned, he added.
Phillips said there is ‘absolute agreement’ among critics that social welfare law and domestic violence cases must remain within the scope of legal aid, and that legal aid remains available for appeals......................"
