Policy

22 February, 2006

Specialist Support evidence published

Constitutional Affairs Committee transcript

The evidence given by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) to the Constitutional Affairs Committee about the reasons for terminating the Specialist Support Service (SSS) has been published. Giving evidence for the LSC were Brian Harvey, Acting Chief Executive of LSC, Crispin Passmore, Director of Community Legal Service, and Amanda Finlay, Director Legal Aid Strategy Directorate.

The evidence session took place on 14 February and amongst the findings were:

  • Brian Harvey accepting that the consultation process of arriving at the decision could have been handled better;
  • that even if the process was gone through again, the decision to terminate SSS contracts would still be made;
  • the fact that terminating SSS contracts was not made explicit or given as an option at any time through the consultation;
  • Crispin Passmore stated that this was because making this explicit as an option could have left the LSC open to challenge on the grounds that they had already made their minds up;
  • that CLS Direct contractors should be able to deal with almost all cases received without a need for any specialist support;
  • in extreme cases, they can refer matters to barristers who are knowledge experts in the particular field;
  • claims that CLS Direct advisors actually use SSS were not acknowledged by Crispin Passmore;
  • that Bridget Prentice, Parliamentary Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, raised concerns about the fact that SSS had been successful;
  • that the LSC has had more pilots than British Airways.

For a transcript of the evidence session, see the UK Parliament website Uncorrected transcript of oral evidence HC 919-i

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