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Lord Hunt hails start of Public Legal Education dialogue

MINISTRY OF JUSTICE News Release (No:096/07) issued by The Government News Network on 10 July 2007

Public legal education is vital in providing access to justice by making people aware of their rights and responsibilities, Legal Aid minister Lord Hunt said today.

Speaking during the launch of the report Developing Capable Citizens: the role of Public Legal Education by the Public Legal Education and Support Task Force , Lord Hunt said knowledge about the law can change lives, improve life chances and enable active participation in democracy.

Lord Hunt said:

"Public legal education can be a powerful agent of change in the interests of the millions of people. It can also increase public confidence the rule of law and create safe and cohesive communities.

"The Task Force has set out the case for increasing the availability of public legal education, developing good practice, improving evaluation, and longer-term funding.

"I will now discuss with colleagues in government how best we can overcome the obstacles to effective public legal education".

"If we're serious about tackling inequality, then we all need to provide the right education, information, support at an early stage in appropriate ways."

Notes to Editors

1. The Public Legal Education and Support (PLEAS) Task Force was established in January 2006

2. The Task Force is chaired by Professor Dame Hazel Genn DBE QC, author of several influential research studies exploring the problems that people experience in getting help from the legal system on day-to-day problems

3. Task Force members had been appointed from a range of organisations and sectors involved or interested in public legal education. These members include representatives from Advice Services Alliance; Citizens Advice; the Citizenship Foundation; Legal Action Group; the Disability Rights Commission; the Bar Council; the Office of Fair Trading and the Legal Services Commission.

4. For more information about the PLEAS Task Force and the full report, please visit http://www.pleas.org.uk

http://www.justice.gov.uk

ENDS