To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what payments the Legal Services Commission has made to Positif Politics Ltd in the last 12 months; for what purposes; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract under which such payments were made. (305422)

The Legal Services Commission in Wales (as a non devolved body) has a contract with Positif Politics Ltd to track Welsh Assembly Government business. The purpose of the contract with Postif Politics is to ensure that the Legal Services Commission is kept up to date with developments in the National Assembly and Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) that might have an impact on the provision of legal aid services for Welsh citizens. The LSC jurisdiction is across England and Wales and most changes in law and process that have an impact on legal aid derive from Westminster. However many of the issues that can have an impact on social welfare law services are devolved matters for the Assembly Government.

The current contract covers the period 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009 at a total cost of £4,365.

A copy of the contract will be placed in the Library.