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<p>In most categories of law where advice is delivered face to face to clients, the
LAA seeks to maintain a minimum of one provider in each procurement area (or in the
case of immigration and asylum where procurement areas are further broken down into
access points, a minimum of one provider per access point).</p><p>Where one or fewer
compliant tenders were received in response to its recent tender process, the LAA
will be undertaking additional tender activity in those areas to achieve better access
to services for the public where possible.</p><p>In the categories of community care
and welfare benefits, the LAA received more than two compliant tenders in each procurement
area and, subject to successfully verifying tenders the LAA anticipates all procurement
areas will have at least two legal aid providers from 1 September 2018 when new contracts
begin.</p><p>Debt advice is also delivered through the Civil Legal Advice (CLA) telephone
helpline contracts, as is discrimination advice which is only delivered via CLA. The
LAA does not procure CLA contracts on a procurement area basis.</p><p>In the two areas
throughout England and Wales where no compliant immigration and asylum tenders were
received, the LAA will be seeking to place services in these areas through the tender
process it has recently announced to secure additional services.</p>
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