2014 No. 131
The Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) (Amendment) Regulations 2014
Made
Coming into force
The Lord Chancellor makes the following Regulations1 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 20122 (“the Act”).
In making these Regulations, in accordance with section 11(2), (3) and (5) of the Act, the Lord Chancellor—
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
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.