"There are still places available at this meeting tomorrow which is organised by Justice for All. Apologies for the late notice if you have not received an invitation already. Please rsvp and direct any queries to campaign@justice-for-all.org.uk / 020 7833 7136.
‘Stephen Lloyd MP is pleased to invite you to hear from Minister for Civil Society, Nick Hurd, and leading advice organisations about the future of community advice services at a special event:
Advice Needs: what local advice charities need to continue serving their communities A Justice for All discussion event
Tuesday 1 May, 6pm - 7pm (tomorrow) House of Commons, Committee Room 7
Join the discussion with: - Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society, leading the Cabinet Office’s Advice Review - Mike Dixon, Assistant Chief Executive, Citizens Advice - Ruth Hayes, Director, Islington Law Centre - Chilli Reed, Advice UK
The welcome announcement of funding for the advice sector in the recent Budget is only part of the solution to ensure CAB, Law Centres and other independent advice agencies can continue to serve their communities. How this money is targeted will be crucial at a time when advice services will be trying to cope with significant cuts from legal aid and other funding streams.
Justice for All asked over 200 frontline advice workers what their priorities are for targeting scarce resources and how they find funding can support the most effective ways of working. Their experience is outlined in our Advice Needs report Download a copy of the Executive Summary and Report at: www.justice-for-all.org.uk/What-we-want/advicecharities
Please rsvp and direct any queries to campaign@justice-for-all.org.uk / 020 7833 7136
Justice for All is the campaign for free legal advice. We are a coalition of over 4000 charities, legal and advice agencies, trade unions and members of the public. To find out more, visit: www.justice-for-all.org.uk’"
Justice for All bigs things up. Not sure always look at the bright side of life is the tune that ought to be playing? Let's just be honest about it despite everyone's hard work it was an unmitigated disaster that will unravel in time. The so called "concessions" are pretty meaningless at the end of the day.
"Legal Aid Bill through
We're sure you've seen by now that the Legal Aid Bill has finished its progress through Parliament, and is on the verge of becoming law.
A year and a half since the proposals first emerged, and after passionate and dedicated campaigning by Justice for All members and many others, the Bill is certainly better than when it began. We have listed the major changes to the right.
Our very warmest thanks for all your efforts in writing to your MPs and Peers, organising rallies and marches and stalls, signing petitions and attending events. The campaign against this Bill has driven by your expertise and your passion.
But it will still leave hundreds of thousands of people without access to legal aid from next April, and advice agencies and legal aid solicitors battling to keep supporting people who need advice and representation.
Your campaigning has made the Government recognise the importance of free legal advice. It has pledged £60m over three years to support the not-for-profit advice sector. We know that this will not fill the gap left by legal aid and other funding cuts, but Justice for All believes it is vital that this money is used wisely.
That's why we have organised for the Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd to speak at a special discussion event around our Advice Needs report this evening. The report was based directly on the experience of 120 of you who attended our focus groups, and we look forward to hearing the Minister's response. Many thanks for those of you who contributed to the focus groups, we'll update you soon.
Thank you once again for all your support
Gail, Will and the Justice for All team
Changes to the Bill since Autumn 2010
After the Green Paper - Legal aid was preserved for Special Educational Needs cases - Legal aid was preserved for international child abduction cases (later extended to also include internal child abduction cases) - The mandatory telephone gateway was restricted to a pilot involving four areas of law, and later restrictred further to three areas. - The plan to force any client with more than £1000 of disposable capital to make a £100 contribution to their legal costs was dropped.
During the Bill - The definition of domestic violence was substantially broadened, and concessions made on the evidence that will be required to prove domestic violence has occured, as well as the time limit within which this is applicable. - Legal aid was retained for welfare benefit appeals to the second tier tribunal and higher courts, and for the first tier tribunal on 'points of law' only. The details will be worked out in a statutory instrument. - Government will now be able to add as well as remove areas of law from the scope of legal aid without primary legislation. - Victims of trafficking will still be entitled to legal aid - Legal aid will remain available for clinical negligence cases, but only when the negligence occured during the first 8 weeks of life. - The Director of Legal Aid Casework will be independent from Government. - Legal aid will still be available in police stations."
