Schedule 4 - Procedure of appeals commissioners
Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill
3:00 pm
Jeffrey M Donaldson (Lagan Valley, DUP)
As ever, I am indebted to my good friend, the hon. Member for Montgomeryshire, who makes a fair point.
We are concerned about the possibility of the applicant being eligible for legal aid in cases being considered by the tribunal. Under the Bill as it is drafted at present, legal aid could be provided to applicants. That could run up a bill of millions of pounds, without the potential for any of the applicants having to spend a single day in prison. That is another waste of public money. There are many other pressing needs in Northern Ireland; my hon. Friends and the hon. Member for Foyle could recite many instances of how that money could be better spent. Given that we face higher rates and the introduction of water charges because the Government have said that we have to be more efficient with public money, it is plain wrong that those applicants should be eligible for legal aid. The amendments would remove the possibility of their receiving it.