Policy
12 September, 2006
LSC consults on future of specialist support services
Front-line advice organisations urged to respond by 15 September
The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is seeking information from front-line advice organisations to help inform a review of its funding for specialist support services from July 2007.The LSC had announced the termination of the specialist support service contracts in January 2006 but, following criticism from the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee and with a range of specialist support providers having instigated Judicial Review proceedings, revoked its decision two months later.
However it remained the LSC's intention to review its contracts with the specialist support suppliers and, in July 2006, it announced that it is to reconsider whether the services should continue to be funded and if so, on what terms.
To take this forward, and ahead of publication of a consultation paper, expected in November 2006, the LSC has sent a questionnaire to both users and non-users of the specialist support services to help it to assess their effectiveness and efficiency.
A copy of each of the questionnaires is available here -
- LSC Specialist Support Services: User questionnaire
- LSC Specialist Support Services: Non-user questionnaire.
Completed questionnaires need to be returned by 15 September 2006 to -
Sheena Symes, Legal Services Commission, Civil Policy Team, 12 Roger Street, London WC1N 2JL, or by email to sheena.symes@legalservices.gov.uk.
See also the related stories in the policy news area of rightsnet -
- Specialist Support review begins: Legal Services Commission looking at supplier support projects
- LSC revokes termination of funding for specialist support services, 23 March, 2006
- 'Major flaws' in LSC approach to policy making: Constitutional Affairs Committee recommends reconsideration of decision to end Specialist Support (14 March, 2006)
- Specialist Support evidence published (22 February 2006)
- Constitutional Affairs Select Committee to scrutinise end of funding for specialist support services (13 February, 2006)
- An astonishing and disappointing decision of great significance to the most vulnerable people in society: Parliamentary debate on the LSCs termination of Specialist Support funding (03 February, 2006)
- MPs urged to attend parliamentary debate on termination of Specialist Support Service contracts (31 January, 2006)
- Specialist Support Service fight back: Questions in Parliament (30 January, 2006)
- Specialist Support Service contracts to end early: Legal Services Commission announce termination (17 January, 2006)
