§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to order re-examination of all cases where legal aid costs have exceeded £1 million to establish the justification for approving the legal aid to recover the sums involved in cases where resource statements are found to be false.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe grant and discharge or revocation of civil legal aid certificates is the responsibility of the Legal Aid Board. The grant and revocation or withdrawal of criminal legal aid is the responsibility of the court dealing with the case. Legal aid regulations say what may be done if the assisted person's circumstances change or new information about his or her circumstances comes to light.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the amount of public funds available(a) to conduct prosecutions and (b) to conduct defences by barristers.
733W
Mr. John M. TaylorThe amount of public funds available to conduct prosecutions is a matter for the various prosecuting agencies. It is estimated that the net cost of criminal legal aid paid to barristers in the current financial year to conduct defences is £158 million.