§ Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the eligibility for legal aid of young people who are suing local education authorities over their school education. [7779]
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§ Mr. StreeterIn addition to qualifying financially, an applicant must also show to the Legal Aid Board that he or she has reasonable grounds for taking, defending or being a party to proceedings, and that it is reasonable in the particular circumstances of the case for legal aid to be granted. However, I should make clear that, as yet, the Legal Aid Board has not yet received any applications for legal aid in the case relating to educational achievement, which was recently reported in the press.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what recent representations he has received from the Bar Council on the subject of reform of the legal aid budget; and if he will make a statement. [7915]
§ Mr. StreeterI recently met the chairman of the Bar Council to discuss the reforms. I look forward to having further discussion and consultations with the Bar and other interested bodies as the reforms progress.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many certificates issued by the Legal Aid Board were revoked in (i) 1992, (ii) 1993, (iii) 1994 and (iv) 1995; and if he will make a statement. [7907]
§ Mr. StreeterThe number of civil legal aid certificates revoked in each year was as follows:
- 1992–93: 11,630
- 1993–94: 19,503
- 1994–95: 21,773
- 1995–96: 25,032.
The figure for 1992–93 represents revoked emergency certificates only because revoked substantive certificates were not recorded on the Legal Aid Board's case administration computer system until 1993–94. The 1993–94 figure does not include substantive revoked certificates for Cardiff as that office was not upgraded with the new computer system until August 1994.
§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in how many cases in the past six months claims for legal aid to pursue civil claims for compensation in cases involving(a) criminal harassment by landlords, (b) illegal eviction and (c) disrepair have been refused; and how many of these claims have been granted on appeal. [7800]
§ Mr. StreeterThe information requested is not available as the data gathered by the Legal Aid Board do not separately identify those categories of cases.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he last met the Law Society to discuss the provision and funding of legal aid; and if he will make a statement. [7916]
§ Mr. StreeterThe Lord Chancellor, I and officials in my Department regularly meet representatives of the Law Society to discuss a very wide range of issues relating to the provision and funding of legal aid.
§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the 20(a) solicitors firms and (b) barristers who have received the largest sums of money from the legal aid scheme for each year for which information is available. [8700]
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§ Mr. StreeterIn the time available it has not been possible to provide the information requested. I will reply as soon as possible.