§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration was given to the question of legal aid in the preparation of the justice charter for Scotland.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 3 December 1991]: The Government are currently undertaking a comprehensive review of eligibility for legal aid and for this reason no specific reference was made to legal aid in either the citizens charter or the justice charter for Scotland. The Scottish Legal Aid Board, which administers legal aid, will be expected to meet the standards of service set out in the citizens charter.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes there have been to the entitlement to legal aid since 1979; and what effect these have had on the number or proportion of persons able to claim legal aid.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 3 December 1991]: Financial eligibility limits for entitlement to legal aid are regularly uprated to ensure that those most in need continue to receive free legal aid. Determination of applications for legal aid is subject to a number of criteria, including financial eligibility, and it is not possible accurately to estimate the numbers within the population who are likely to be eligible at any particular time.