ACCESS TO JUSTICE

Early day motion 710, tabled 26 February 2004 by Wayne David (Labour). Signed by 71 members.

That this House welcomes the Citizens Advice report, Geography of Advice - An Overview of the Challenges Facing the Community Legal Service; acknowledges that there are serious shortcomings in the civil legal aid system which result in a disproportionate lack of access to legal services for citizens on low incomes; recognises that vulnerable people living in legal advice deserts deserve greater access to justice; agrees that access to civil legal aid services is integral to building a fair and just society; recognises that there is great potential in the Community Legal Service to address this problem but that too often services are tarnished by unnecessary bureaucracy and constraints on their funding; and calls upon the Department for Constitutional Affairs urgently to act to improve and invest in the Community Legal Service to create a more equitable system of legal aid.

Signatures by party: Labour 43, Liberal Democrat 14, Conservative 9, Labour/Co-operative 3, Plaid Cymru 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.