§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimates he has of the number of people who failed to pursue legal matters in the courts on account of their financial situation in the last three years. [1940]
§ Mr. HoonI have no such estimates, and I do not see how useful estimates could be made. Many factors may affect a decision on whether or not to litigate. For example, people have different priorities for how they spend their money, and other factors such as uncertainty about the outcome and costs of the case, and their willingness to undergo the stress of litigation will often affect their decisions.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what advice his Department offers to people who neither qualify for legal aid nor have sufficient private means to make use of the justice system. [1941]
§ Mr. HoonFor certain proceedings a person may enter into a conditional fee agreement whereby a solicitor can take a case on a "no win no fee" basis. At present conditional fees are available for personal injury cases, insolvency actions and cases before the European Court of Human Rights. I shall shortly be considering the possibility of extending conditional fees to other areas. In addition legal expenses insurance may be available for some types of civil dispute.