Karen Buck succeeded in securing a debate in Parliament yesterday on the future of Legal Aid funding in London and across the country.  Many London MPs joined Karen in expressing their concerns over the proposals that arose from the Carter Review of Legal Aid.  Karen used the opportunity to congratulate the hard work of many local advice organisations and solicitors, “I have been blessed with a number of excellent advice services in the private and not-for-profit sectors, and I put on record my appreciation of the work that they do.”

She continued by talking about the knock-on effect on MPs and their offices, ”However, even at present strength, my office is deluged with work: there were 3,000 cases last year. My office has dealt with more than 1,000 housing complaints, with homelessness, disrepair, debt and immigration, but still, a vast amount of need goes unmet.

If there is a reduction in the provision of advice services in my area, my office will not be able to cope, and those who lose out will be the poorest—the most disadvantaged of my constituents. This is an issue of national concern, but not for the first time, I make a particular plea for the interests of London.”

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