HC Deb 26 November 1996 vol 286 cc163-4W
Ms Roseanna Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many staff are employed by the Scottish Legal Aid Board; and what is the total wage cost; [5661]

(2) how many employees at the Scottish Legal Aid Board are solicitors; and what is the total salary cost. [5662]

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

[holding answer 25 November 1996]On 31 March 1996, the Scottish Legal Aid Board employed 268.6 full-time equivalent staff of whom eight were solicitors.

The total salary cost for the period 1995–96 was £4.8 million of which £0.3 million was paid to solicitors.

Ms Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the salaries paid to(a) members and (b) the chief executive of the Scottish Legal Aid Board. [5663]

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

[holding answer 25 November 1996]The information is set out in the table:

Scottish Legal Aid Board Chairman and Board Members Remuneration as at 31 March 1996
Salaries and NI costs £
Chairman Christine Davis 23,512
Member George Barrie 13,225
Member Kay Blair 13,225
Member Patricia Bolton 12,572
Member Pamela Bowman 13,776
Member Sheila Campbell 11,572
Member Jean Couper 13,776
Member Archibald Gilchrist 12,123
Member Peter Grinyer 13,776
Member David Leitch 13,776
Member Robert Livingstone 11,572
Member Colin McEachran 9,710
Member Robin McEwan Nil
Member Gillian Peebles 12,572
Member Alexander Wylie 8,057
Total 183,244
Chief Executive's remuneration as at 31 March 1996
Chief Executive Richard Scott 61,875

Ms Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total value of abatements from legal aid accounts submitted by solicitors to the Scottish Legal Aid Board in the years 1994–95 and 1995–96; if he will list the cases where the abatement was more than (i) 25 per cent., (ii) 10 per cent. but not more than 25 per cent., (iii) 5 per cent. but not more than 10 per cent. and (iv) 3 per cent. but not more than 5 per cent. of the account rendered; and if he will express in percentage terms the relationship between the abatements and the total fund paid to solicitors exclusive of outlays. [5664]

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

[holding answer 25 November 1996]The total value of abatements from legal aid accounts submitted by solicitors to the Scottish Legal Aid Board was £4.6 million in 1994–95 and £4.3 million in 1995–96.

Detailed information on abatement levels broken down by percentage is not available.