text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  Legal Aid, Sentencing & Punishment of Offenders Bill - Preserving Face-to-Face Initial Legal Aid Advice
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  
  
  @ MP voted aye to allow initial legal aid advice to be provided online or by phone rather than requiring it be offered in face to face. 
  @ MP voted no to require initial legal aid advice be offered face to face rather than allowing it to be provided online or by phone
  
  The majority of MPs voted against requiring initial legal aid advice be provided face to face rather than online or by phone.
  
  MPs were considering the Legal Aid, Sentencing & Punishment of Offenders Bill[1]. The motion passed in this vote was:
  
  :That this House disagrees with Lords amendment 24
  
  Lords amendment 24, which was rejected in this vote was[2]:
  
  :Page 21, line 6, leave out subsection (2) and insertâ
  :â( )    Notwithstanding subsection (1), the Lord Chancellorâs duty under section 1(1) must include a duty to secure that a person eligible to legal aid advice is able to access it in a range of forms at the outset, including securing the provision of initial face-to-face advice.â
  
  
  The above would have taken effect on Clause 26 of the Bill[3] which relates to an individual's choice of provider of services funded by legal aid. Subsection two which was retained as a result of this vote stated:
  
  :The Lord Chancellor may discharge that duty, in particular, by arranging for the services to be provided by telephone or by other electronic means.
  
  The explanatory notes[4] describe the effect of the rejected amendment 24 as follows:
  
  :Lords Amendment 24 would place a duty on the Lord Chancellor to secure that a person eligible for legal aid advice is able to access it in a range of forms from the outset, including by securing the provision of initial face-to-face advice. 
  
  
  == 
  
  * [1] [http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/legalaidsentencingandpunishmentofoffenders.html Parliament's webpage on the Legal Aid, Sentencing & Punishment of Offenders Bill (now an Act)]
  * [2] [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2010-2012/0327/2012327.1-5.html Lords amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing & Punishment of Offenders Bill]
  * [3] [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/lbill/2010-2012/0109/lbill_2010-20120109_en_4.htm#pt1-pb6-l1g26 Clause 26 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing & Punishment of Offenders Bill]
  * [4] [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2010-2012/0327/en/2012327en.htm Explanatory notes to the Lords amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing & Punishment of Offenders Bill]
  
  
  
  
  
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  