Office of Public Sector Information

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Community Legal Service (Financial) Regulations 2000 (“the 2000 Regulations”) which govern the financial aspects of the provision of services funded by the Legal Services Commission in civil and family matters.

These Regulations make changes to facilitate the introduction of new civil fee schemes. In particular, the changes to the 2000 Regulations reflect the new levels of service for family work, make Legal Help means free for advice on Mental Health Review Tribunal matters and change the levels of help which are exempt from the statutory charge.

Impact assessments have been prepared and were included in the full Impact Assessment which accompanied the documents ‘Legal Aid Reform: Family and Family Mediation Fee Schemes for October 2007’ and ‘Legal Aid Reform: Mental Health Fixed Fees’. Copies are available from Civil Legal Aid Strategy Division, Ministry of Justice, 54 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QW.