§ 38. Sir Sydney ChapmanTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the factors underlying the growth in the legal aid budget since 1980. [16735]
§ Mr. StreeterThe principal factor underlying the growth in legal aid expenditure since 1980 has been the increase in the number of people helped. During the period, the number of acts of assistance increased by 219 per cent., from 1 million in 1980–81 to 3.5 million in 1995–96. Higher unit costs have also contributed significantly to growth, where average payments have consistently grown at a rate well above that of inflation.