§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the cost of legal aid provided to persons accused of(a) fraud and (b) theft exceeding £100,000 in each year since 1980.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe information sought is not available in the form requested. It is not possible to identify individual cases involving fraud or theft exceeding £100,000. Information on legal aid expenditure by type of offence is only available for the last six years, and is set out for the more serious cases of theft and fraud prosecuted in the higher courts. It is not possible to break down legal aid expenditure in magistrates courts by type of offence.
850W
Theft (theft and obtaining by deception) Fraud (fraud and forgery) £ £ 1988–89 19,839,017 6,597,099 1989–90 23,660,073 8,021,737 1990–91 26,149,491 13,477,167