§ Lord CHITNISasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will list in the Official Report the number of applications for legal aid which have been refused for each year since 1970 and whether they will classify this information according to the following categories:
- (a) where the Supplementary Benefits Commission have determined the applicant's disposable income at an amount greater than the limit;
- (b) where the Supplementary Benefits Commission have determined the applicant's disposable capital at an amount greater than the limit;
- (c) where the proceedings to which the application related are not proceedings for which legal aid may be given;
- (d) where the applicant has not shown that he has reasonable grounds for taking, defending, or being a party to the proceedings;
- (e) where it appears unreasonable that the applicant should receive legal aid in the particular circumstances of the case.
§ The LORD CHANCELLORThe available information is set out below in two tables. No information is available about category (c and combined figures only are available for categories (a) and (b). In England and Wales combined figures only are available for categories (d) and (e).
1601WA
ENGLAND AND WALES Year (a) and (b) (d) and (e) Total Refused 1970–71 11,259 12,330 23,589 1971–72 8,096 13,963 22,059 1972–73 11,390 13,284 24,674 1973–74 13,234 12,419 25,653 1974–75 10,522 12,706 23,228 1975–76 11,005 14,390 25,395 1976–77 9,195 16,573 25,768
2. SCOTLAND Year (a) and (b) (d) (e) Total Refused 1970–71 593 391 88 1,072 1971–72 358 507 93 958 1972–73 583 567 194 1,344 1973–74 741 585 135 1,461 1974–75 445 554 209 1,208 1975–76 740 798 215 1,753 1976–77 640 639 197 1,476