Aug162017

News story: Civil news: 2018 contracts tender timetable

HM Government

We are opening tenders for new 2018 civil legal aid contracts across all categories in mid-September 2017.

This follows publication of the government’s policy consultation response to contract procurement proposals for the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme (HPCDS).

Face to face and CLA timetable

The tender process to procure new face to face and Civil Legal Advice (CLA) contracts will open in mid-September 2017.

The tender will be open for 8 weeks, closing in November.

We expect to notify bidders of the outcome of sucessful:

  • face to face tenders in March 2018
  • CLA tenders in May 2018

HPCDS timetable

The tender process for HPCDS contracts will follow on from a number of market engagement events which will run in August and September. Dates and locations will be confirmed shortly.

During August we will also engage the consultative bodies in a consultation on the proposed 2018 HPCDS contract.

The tender for HPCDS contracts will then open in October. It will run for 6 weeks before closing in November.

The LAA expects to notify bidders of the outcome of their tenders in June 2018.

Contract extensions

It will be necessary to extend current contracts beyond 31 March 2018 as follows:

  • Some face to face and CLA telephone advice contracts – 5 month extension with new contracts starting 1 September 2018
  • HPCDS schedules – 6 month extension with new contracts starting 1 October 2018

We will be writing to notify providers of the contract extensions in due course.

Further information

HPCDS Policy consultation process – government response

Legal aid civil tender 2018 – information for organisations interested in delivering face to face civil, and/or specialist legal advice by telephone from 2018.

Aug162017

Notice: GL2 8HR, Mr Jon Smith, Mrs Josephine Smith, Mr Thomas Smith (t/a GM Smith and Son): environmental permit draft decision advertisement

DEFRA

The Environment Agency consults the public on certain applications for waste operations, mining waste operations, installations, water discharge and groundwater activities. In some cases they also consult on draft decisions for environmental permits. The arrangements are explained in its Public Participation Statement
These notices explain:

  • the Environment Agency’s proposed decision and the reasons and considerations on which they’ve based this
  • additional relevant information available since the application was advertised
  • any information or guidance provided by the Secretary of State relevant to the application

Aug162017

Millions of people have faced a real terms pay cut under this government – Abrahams

Labour

Debbie
Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on
today’s Labour Market Statistics, said:

“Labour
welcomes the overall increase in employment but we are deeply concerned
that millions have faced a real terms pay cut under this government. With wages
continuing to fall in real terms, Tory cuts to
in-work support, and rising prices, many households and families
are worse off under this government. 

“The Government has failed to close the employment gap faced by women,
disabled people and ethnic minority groups, who are still less likely
to be in work, and has failed to tackle regional inequalities in the
Labour market.

“A Labour
government will stand up for all working people, implementing a real
Living Wage of £10 per hour and bringing an immediate end to Tory austerity.”