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Dept for Constitutional Affairs

Answer

Mr. Todd: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what representations he has received concerning the continuance of Legal Services Commission funding for the claims of British nuclear test veterans against the Ministry of Defence; and if he will make a statement. [222551] Mr. Lammy: I have received one letter from the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West (Sir John Butterfill) on this subject. The Department is not aware of receiving any other representations, although data on correspondence are not recorded to give a categorical answer. I am aware that there has been a dialogue between the Legal Services Commission (LSC) and the applicants' solicitors regarding the continuation of funding. At the time of writing the LSC has recently received correspondence and enquiries from four MPs, on behalf of constituents who are members of the British Nuclear Test Victims Association. The LSC granted limited funding in June 2002 to two firms of solicitors to undertake preliminary investigations. The LSC made an assessment of the atomic veterans' Multi Party Action (MPA) in October 2004. This action not only includes British veterans, but nationals from New Zealand and Fiji. The LSC is currently awaiting further information from the solicitors to enable a decision to be made whether further funding should be provided. Once the information is available the Commission will first consider the merits and then whether the action is affordable from the cash limited budget, having compared it with other major group actions that are being proposed. This is the standard procedure that the Commission currently applies to any major MPA.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

432 c612W; 222551

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Finance Legal aid scheme Learning and Skills Council for England Nuclear weapons Radiation exposure Testing Veterans

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk