The government will commit an extra tranche of funding in the forthcoming Budget for civil society advice services.

Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, told the NCVO conference this morning that the additional money would be allocated to help the sector cope with changes in the Legal Aid Bill.

He said: "We will be making additional funding available in this funding period to not for profit advice services, to make them sustainable in the long term."

However, asked by NCVO chair Martyn Lewis "how much?", Alexander would not say.

"Nice try," he replied, "but the detail will be given in the Budget."