§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Attorney-General how many applications for legal aid have been made since the passing of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 by those claiming compensation for brain damage caused by the whooping cough vaccine; and how many such applications have been granted.
§ The Attorney-GeneralSince 1979, the Law Society has received 265 applications for legal aid to bring proceedings related to vaccine damage. It is not possible, except at disproportionate cost, to identify how many of those relate specifically to whooping cough vaccine, though the majority do. Of the 265, legal aid certificates (some of which may have been limited in scope) have been issued in 193 cases; 33 applications are still pending; 16 have been abandoned by the applicant; 16 have been refused on legal grounds; 4 have been refused on grounds of financial ineligibility; and in 3 cases an offer of legal aid was made but not taken up by the applicant.