Written Question · S3W-24875 · Session 3
How many applications for civil legal advice have been made to the civil legal assistance service in Argyll and Bute; how many were for adv…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for civil legal advice have been made to the civil legal assistance service in Argyll and Bute; how many were for advice and assistance, and how many were granted, broken down by type of matter.
The answer
Advice and assistance is granted by the solicitor subject to a test of the applicant''s financial eligibility. Solicitors then intimate to the board that advice and assistance has been granted. Applications for civil legal aid are made by solicitors to the Scottish Legal Aid Board on behalf of clients. The board grants legal aid subject to tests of financial eligibility, probable cause and reasonableness.
The board has directly employed a solicitor in Argyll and Bute since August 2006. However, this comprises two distinct phases of activity. During the initial phase (between February 2007 and April 2008) when the project delivered services with Argyll and Bute Council, it did not focus exclusively on casework and clients had to be referred by a local partner agency. In the second phase, since April 2008, the solicitor has focussed more on providing direct casework services to residents of Argyll and Bute who are having difficulties finding legal help or the services of a solicitor and who are eligible for civil legal assistance.
The following tables give the numbers of intimations of advice and assistance and applications for civil legal aid made by the Civil Legal Assistance service in Argyll and Bute, since its opening in November 2006. The information provided has been broken down by the groupings used in the Scottish Legal Aid Board''s annual report.
For civil legal aid, the difference between the number of applications and grants does not necessarily equate to the number of applications which have been refused. There may be applications which have not yet been assessed or for which additional information is required in order to enable assessment to be completed.
Advice and Assistance
Annual Report Grouping
| Intimations
Adults with incapacity
| 1
Aliment/Child Support Agency
| 3
Breach of contract
| 2
Children (Scotland) Act
| 11
Complaints against professional bodies
| 1
Contact
| 4
Divorce
| 5
Employment
| 5
Employment Tribunals
| 1
Family/matrimonial-other
| 6
Hire purchase/debt
| 8
Housing
| 4
Immigration and asylum
| 1
The board has directly employed a solicitor in Argyll and Bute since August 2006. However, this comprises two distinct phases of activity. During the initial phase (between February 2007 and April 2008) when the project delivered services with Argyll and Bute Council, it did not focus exclusively on casework and clients had to be referred by a local partner agency. In the second phase, since April 2008, the solicitor has focussed more on providing direct casework services to residents of Argyll and Bute who are having difficulties finding legal help or the services of a solicitor and who are eligible for civil legal assistance.
The following tables give the numbers of intimations of advice and assistance and applications for civil legal aid made by the Civil Legal Assistance service in Argyll and Bute, since its opening in November 2006. The information provided has been broken down by the groupings used in the Scottish Legal Aid Board''s annual report.
For civil legal aid, the difference between the number of applications and grants does not necessarily equate to the number of applications which have been refused. There may be applications which have not yet been assessed or for which additional information is required in order to enable assessment to be completed.
Advice and Assistance
Annual Report Grouping
| Intimations
Adults with incapacity
| 1
Aliment/Child Support Agency
| 3
Breach of contract
| 2
Children (Scotland) Act
| 11
Complaints against professional bodies
| 1
Contact
| 4
Divorce
| 5
Employment
| 5
Employment Tribunals
| 1
Family/matrimonial-other
| 6
Hire purchase/debt
| 8
Housing
| 4
Immigration and asylum
| 1
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-24875 by reference.