The government must deliver on its promises to increase access to justice for the poorest of our citizens, writes Janet Paraskeva

'If those who are vulnerable do not know where to turn for advice, whatever their difficulty, whether it is in relation to the condition of their housing or with problems paying their bills, daily life inevitably becomes more precarious for them.

Typically, a cluster effect emerges, as one unresolved problem leads to the emergence of others.

Ultimately such a downward spiral can lead to social marginalisation and exclusion, bringing with it huge cost and misery for individuals and society as a whole.'

That was David Lammy, the minister in the Department for Constitutional Affairs with responsibility for legal aid, speaking recently.

His remarks echo the Prime Minister, who has said that improving access to justice is 'an essential part of our commitment to social justice'.

But David Lammy's remarks are also a useful reminder of what will go wrong if the government fails to deliver its aim of improving access to justice.

There is growing evidence that the government is failing to meet that aim.

There are increasing numbers of 'advice deserts' emerging in parts of England and Wales.

Advice deserts are areas where there are no qualified legal aid advisers available at all in some categories of law.

Particularly acute gaps are appearing in the numbers and spread of legal aid advisers in the fields of immigration, housing and welfare.

Advice deserts leave many people unable to get expert help when facing eviction, for example, or contemplating divorce.

In situations like these, people everywhere, not just those in rural areas, are left with a stark choice - to seek justice without the support of legal advice, or travel many miles to speak to an adviser.

The National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureaux is at the sharp end of the legal aid system.

Every day staff members in its offices meet people seeking help, many of whom have no idea how to resolve their difficulties or claim their rights.

In Rugby recently a father approached his local CAB after his former wife and her new partner breached a court order on access to his children.

Although extremely concerned about threats of violence made by the couple, the bureau was unable to find a Community Legal Service solicitor to help within a 15-mile radius.

This kind of predicament is disturbingly common.

Selby CAB reports being approached by a Tunisian man seeking leave to remain in the UK.

Without a specialist immigration worker, the bureau was not able itself to provide the legal advice needed, so it contacted all the local agencies listed in the Community Legal Service directory.

In every case the agencies contacted said they were too busy to take on any new cases.

Experiences like these are being reported across England and Wales as the CLS creaks under the strain of a reducing budget, fewer legal advisers and unmeasured levels of unmet need.

The Law Society is working with the CLS on initiatives designed to provide help and support to people who might otherwise have no access to legal advice, and Mr Lammy's renewed commitment to improving access to justice is therefore very welcome.

But the Law Society believes more needs to be done.

The government needs to provide adequate funds to ensure that everyone can get access to legal advice if they need it.

At the moment, with one single capped budget, any overspend in criminal legal aid has a devastating effect on the civil budget.

In the past three years, funding for the CLS has fallen from 564 million to 483 million.

Between March and May this year the number of general civil legal aid contracts fell by 8% - and there is no evidence that this trend is likely to be reversed.

LSC research shows that half of public service solicitors might simply pack up.

The number of people ineligible for civil legal aid yet unable to pay for a lawyer privately is increasing.

In addition, the Legal Services Research Centre has found a huge level of unmet need.

It estimates that more than one million legal problems every year are left without resolution either because those affected are not aware of the recourse that is open to them or simply because they believe that nothing can be done.

A significant proportion of the population is left without the assistance they so desperately need.

Many simply do not realise what kind of assistance they are entitled to, and even if they do seek help it is becoming increasingly likely that there is no one able to help them.

None of this will come as a surprise to government ministers accustomed to meeting constituents in advice surgeries.

In the constituencies of five ministers there are currently no housing law advisers with LSC contracts.

Five ministers have no welfare law contract holders in their constituencies and another three are totally without welfare and housing legal aid advisers.

There are, of course, many competing priorities for the government to consider when allocating public money.

But if this trend continues, the government will be accused of ignoring the needs of the most vulnerable members of society.

Unless there is a change of direction in Labour's legal aid policy we will see greater social injustice and inequality in society.

Janet Paraskeva is the Law Society chief executive