§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Attorney-General if he will provide for the latest available 12-month period (a) the number of solicitors regularly practising in firms offering legal services to the public,(b) the number of solicitors regularly practising in the criminal courts, (c) the number of solicitors' firms on the criminal legal aid panel and (d) the number of solicitors firms on a duty solicitor scheme for police stations; in respect of the Crown courts, what is (i) the amount of total public money received by solicitors retained to defend and (ii) the number of cases in which publicly funded solicitors instructed counsel to defend; in respect of criminal cases in the magistrates' courts, what is (1) the amount of total public money received by solicitors, (2) the number of cases dealt with by solicitors, including those where junior counsel was instructed, (3) the average cost of publicly funded defence cases, and (4) the duration of average criminal cases in hours, in respect of 24 hour duty solicitor schemes, what is (A) the number of visits made to police stations, (B) the duration of the average visit, (C) the total cost and (D) the average cost; and in respect of court based duty solicitor schemes, what is (a1) the number of defendants represented, (a2) the total cost and (a3) the average cost per defendant; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-General[holding answer 23 March 1989]: There are currently 50,494 solicitors in England and Wales with practising certificates. In 1987–88, 405,000 payments were made out of the legal aid fund in respect of criminal cases in the magistrates' courts at an average cost of £281.21 per case. In 1987–88, 170,655 visits were made to police stations under the 24-hour duty solicitor scheme and the total cost of the scheme was £23.2 million, at an average cost per suspect of £85.38. In 1987–88, 99,864 defendants were represented under the magistrates courts duty solicitor scheme and the total cost of the scheme was £4.8 million, at an average cost per defendant of £28.88. The other information requested by the hon. Member is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.