I do not have time to Fisk the latest claims of an expanding CLS from the LSC. Fortunately Mr Miller is on hand to help out.

LAPG response to LSC press release.

Director Richard Miller said, "While it is good news that the number of people being helped is rising, the extent of the help made available is also significant. The value of claims by solicitors for legal help has, on the LSC's figures, dropped from almost £190 million last year to only £160 million this year, while the number of hours reported by NFP agencies has increased by only around 50,000, which represents about £2.5 million worth of work.

"Since April, the public has had well over 200 fewer places where they could access the help they need, and the numbers continue to drop. West and Central Berkshire and East Yorkshire are both now without any solicitors providing social welfare advice. Telephone advice is fine for some cases and some clients, but it is often insufficient. Where face to face advice is not available locally, many clients with anything more than the most simple needs cannot get help."

He continued, "We see a role for technology here to ensure that the expert advice which clients need can be provided from a central location to a client assisted by a local adviser. This will need Government investment in a videolink network. Unfortunately, specialist services are being lost rapidly by attrition. They are gone before a replacement is available,leaving people who need help to fend for themselves. The Government needs to invest more to preserve current services until it can undertake a sensible phased reorganisation."