§ Lord Cocks of Hartcliffeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have invited the Bar Council to consider the level of fees claimed by leading and junior counsel in the recent appeal to the House of Lords in the case of the Queen v. Reid; and if not why not.
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern)No. The Bar Council will be aware of the comments of the Appeal Committee, and it is a matter for them whether they wish to take any action. Discussions between the Bar Council and my department have, however, taken place in the past in relation to unduly inflated claims. I referred to this in my answer to the noble Lord's supplementary question on 29 March 1994 [Official Report, cols. 973–974.]
§ Lord Cocks of Hartcliffeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the average level of fees claimed by leading counsel out of the Legal Aid Fund for the last year for which figures are available in (a) Scotland and (b) England and Wales.
70WA
§ The Lord ChancellorThe information is not available in the form requested. Claims made for payment from legal aid are subject to examination by the relevant legal aid authorities. Following this examination the average amount paid to all counsel in 1992–93 for claims in relation to cases in the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal Criminal Division was £768; for claims in relation to criminal cases in the magistrates' courts it was £245; and for civil claims £448. I shall write to the noble Lord in relation to the position in Scotland.