HC Deb 17 December 1993 vol 234 c918W
Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what reports he has received from the Legal Aid Board in respect of the average time taken to pay solicitors interest payments made on the payments and negotiations between solicitors and the board; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John M. Taylor

The Legal Aid Board has extensive contact with the Law Society, including many meetings at which a wide range of matters are discussed. The board reports annually to the Lord Chancellor. Details about the time taken to pay lawyers' bills are included in the report. The board's targets and performance for the year to date are set out in the table. The board's payment targets are short and are generally met. It is therefore riot appropriate to pay interest. On rare occasions it makes an ex-gratia compensation payment where there has been an error by the board which caused undue delay in payment.

Bills for Magistrates' Courts' proceedings
1993–94 1993–94
Time taken Target Performance to date
Per cent. Per cent.
6 Weeks 190 94.6
1 For standard fee payments, the target will increase to 97.5 per cent of bills paid within 4 weeks, for the period I January 1994–31 March 1994.
Civil bills: Taxed and assessed
1993–94 1993–94
Time taken Target Performance to date
Percent. Percent.
6 Weeks 75 83.8
Other bills
1993–94 1993–94
Time taken Target Performance to date
Percent. Percent.
6 Weeks 92 95.4