2014 No. 131
Legal Aid And Advice, England And Wales
The Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) (Amendment) Regulations 2014
Made 23rd January 2014
Coming into force 27th January 2014

The Lord Chancellor makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 11(1)(b), 41(1)(a) and (b), (2)(b) and (3)(c) of, and paragraph 3(2) of Schedule 3 to, the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (“the Act”).
Section 42(1) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10) provides that in Part 1 of that Act “regulations” means regulations made by the Lord Chancellor.
2012 c. 10.
In making these Regulations, in accordance with section 11(2), (3) and (5) of the Act, the Lord Chancellor—
(a) has considered the circumstances in which it is appropriate to make civil legal services available under Part 1 of the Act and, in particular, the extent to which the criteria ought to reflect the factors in section 11(3); and
(b) is satisfied that the criteria reflect the principle that, in many disputes, mediation and other forms of dispute resolution are more appropriate than legal proceedings.
In accordance with section 41(6) of the Act, a draft of this instrument was laid before Parliament and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.