§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Attorney-General if he will provide for the latest available 12 month period(a) 27W the number of Queen's counsel excluding Treasury counsel, (b) the amount of total public money received by Queen's counsel, (c) the number of cases dealt with by Queen's counsel, (e) the number of cases prosecuted by Queen's counsel, (f) the average fee, brief and refreshers, in prosecution cases, (g) the number of criminal cases defended by Queen's counsel where payment was made from public funds, (h) the average fee for defence counsel, brief and refreshers, in criminal cases where payment was made from public funds, (i) the duration of average criminal case in which Queen's counsel appeared and (j) the average income of Queen's counsel from public funds; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-General(holding answer 23 March 1989): There are currently 673 Queen's counsel. In 1987–88, the average brief fee for a trial in the Crown court payable to Queen's counsel representing legally aided defendants was £3,273.20 and the average full day refresher was £271.30. The number of criminal cases defended by Queen's counsel where payment was made from public funds was around 1,440. The other information requested by the hon. Member is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.