§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the sum paid out in legal aid in the six most expensive fraud cases in each of the last five years.
Mr. John M. TaylorCurrently, interim payments cannot all be linked on the computer to the individual cases in which they are made. However, the position with regard to the most prominent fraud cases in recent times is as follows:
Guinness trials
- Total costs have yet to be determined. Around £1.7 million has been paid to date in respect of the first and second trials.
Barlow Clowes
- Total costs were £5.3 million.
Blue Arrow
- Not all claims have been determined. £9.7 million has been paid out to date.
Britannia Park
- Total cost yet to be determined.
Marconi Defence
- Total cost yet to be determined.
The above costs include payments made from central funds in addition to payments from the legal aid fund.