§ Miss Richardsonasked the Attorney-General if he will list in the Official Report the eligibility rates for (a) civil and (b) criminal legal aid in 1950, 1960, 1970 and each subsequent year; and if he will express these data as a percentage of the national assistance or supplementary benefit scale rate for a married couple with two children under 11 years of age.
§ The Solicitor-GeneralEligibility for legal aid in criminal proceedings is not subject to financial limits; applications are granted at the court's discretion: contributions may be required from the person assisted.
There are two limits for civil legal aid: the lower determining eligibility for free legal aid and the upper determining 201W eligibility for legal aid on payment of a contribution. The information regarding
CIVIL LEGAL AID Lower disposable income limit Upper disposable income limit Supplementary benefit scale rate for a married man with 2 children aged between 5 and 10 years Column (1) as a percentage of column (3) Column (2) as a percentage of column (3) (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) £ £ £ Per cent. Per cent. 1950 … … … 156 420 165 95 255 1960 … … … 250 700 320 78 219 1970 … … … 300 950 580 52 164 1971 … … … 300 950 629 48 151 1972 … … … 300 950 700 43 136 1973 … … … 300 950 788 38 121 1974 (January) … … … 375 1,175 860 44 137 1974 (September) … … … 440 1,380 1,011 44 136 1975 … … … 500 1,580 1,157 43 137 1976(January) … … … 570 1,790 1,313 43 136 1976 (September) … … … 665 2,085 1,526 44 137 1977 … … … 760 2,400 1,687 45 142