§ Mr. SalmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of administering legal aid in Scotland through local legal aid committees and the Law Society for Scotland in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonSince 1987 legal aid in Scotland has been administered by the Scottish Legal Aid Board. Information on the board's administrative costs is set out in the table.
Net administrative expenditure of the Scottish Legal Aid Board £ million 1987–88 4.426 1988–89 4.957 1989–90 5.568 1990–91 5.833 1991–92 6.644 During the same period the total sum disbursed by the Board has increased from £47.7 million to £79.8 million.