Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 23: 23: Clause 22 , page 19, line 20, at end insert— ““( ) The Tribunal Procedure Rules shall make provision for the granting by a judge of the First-tier Tribunal of legal aid for appropriate advice and representation in relation to any decision within the jurisdiction of the tribunal system.”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, in responding to what the noble Baroness said a few moments ago I remind myself of what was said at Second Reading. The noble Lord, Lord Clinton-Davis, raised the question of legal aid at the beginning of the Lord Chancellor’s introductory speech. He said that he was concerned that legal aid would not be available. The noble Baroness has quoted the Lord Chancellor’s response, but I shall repeat it. He said, "““I am supportive of the proposition that, for issues such as welfare benefit, legal aid should be more widely available than it is at the moment””.—[Official Report, 29/11/06; col. 762.]" Nothing could be vaguer than that. I do not regard it as a commitment for the future. It is limited to issues such as welfare benefit; and ““more widely available”” could mean anything. For that reason I seek to obtain the opinion of the House on this issue. I beg to move. On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 23) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 49; Not-Contents, 144. Schedule 5 [Procedure in First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal]: