Emergency funding for free legal advice must be made available to help people suffering in the downturn, Parliament will hear this week.

Nadine Dorries, Conservative MP for Mid Bedfordshire, said she would use an adjournment debate on Tuesday evening to urge the government to provide Citizens Advice and other free guidance services with more money to manage escalating demand. She told the Gazette that people should be made aware of how to obtain free legal advice before they instruct a solicitor. Paralegals or trainee solicitors could provide the extra capacity, she suggested.