§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) if he will list for the last year,(a) the highest figure and (b) the average figure given as the gross fee income by successful applicants for Queen's Counsel; [69360]
(2) if he will list for the last year, what was (a) the highest figure and (b) the average figure given as the gross fee income by unsuccessful applicants for Queen's Counsel; [69359]
(3) if he will list for the last year, (a) the highest figure and (b) the average figure given as the gross fee income by all applicants for Queen's Counsel. [69356]
§ Mr. HoonThe figures are as follows:
£ Highest Average Successful applicants >589,000 >246,000 Unsuccessful applicants >665,000 >165,000 All applicants >665,000 >175,000
§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce a limit on the number of applications an individual may make for Queen's Counsel status. [69355]
§ Mr. HoonMy noble and learned Friend has no plans to introduce a limit on the number of applications an individual may make for the award of Queen's Counsel.
§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department in each of the last five years(a) in how many civil litigation matters the use of Queen's Counsel was authorised by the Legal Aid Board and (b) of (a) how many had authorised the use of junior as well as Queen's Counsel; what were, in civil litigation cases, in each of the last five years, (i) the highest amount for an individual civil litigation case authorised to be paid to a QC, (ii) the average amount for an individual civil litigation case authorised to be paid to a QC and (iii) the highest amount paid in total to an individual QC; and if he will list in relation to each category above, the figures for criminal litigation. [69358]
§ Mr. HoonI am unable to answer the majority of that part of the question which relates to civil legal aid as the Legal Aid Board do not record separately payments to Queen's Counsel. Therefore, the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Records of the amount paid in total to an individual Queen's Counsel in respect of civil proceedings are available for the last two years only and were as follows:
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Year £ 1996–97 350,000 1997–98 394,952 For criminal legal aid in the higher criminal courts,
(a) The number of criminal cases in which a payment was made to a QC in each year from 1993–94 to 1996–97 was as follows:
Year £ 1993–94 1,472 1994–95 1,349 1995–96 1,375 1996–97 1,331 Note:
Information is not yet available for 1997–98
(b) Information on the number of cases where junior as well as Queen' s Counsel were authorised is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
(i) The highest amount paid to an individual QC1 in a criminal case in each of the last five years was as follows:
Year £ 1993–94 315,987 1994–95 463,849 1995–96 295,218 1996–97 561,415 1997–98 348,471 (ii) The average amount paid to QCs in each year from 1993–94 to 1996–97 was as follows:
Year £ 1993–94 14,883 1994–95 20,333 1995–96 19,188 1996–97 21,069 Note:
Information for 1997–98 is not yet available
(iii) The highest amounts paid in total to individual QCs1 in each year from 1993–94 to 1996–97 was as follows:
Year £ 1993–94 over 440,000 1994–95 over 660,000 1995–96 over 500,000 1996–97 over 500,000 Note:
Information for 1997–98 is not yet available
1 Payments made to individual banisters are in respect of closed cases only; that is where the case has been disposed of and all bills, including those of defence lawyers, have been determined. It should be clearly understood that any payment to an individual recorded in any year could well reflect payments received in earlier years. In those instances, payments have been aggregated in the year in which the final payment was made.
§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department in each of the last five years(a) how much was spent by the Government on fees to Queen's Counsel and (b) what was the highest amount paid in respect of an individual case to a single QC. [69363]
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§ Mr. HoonNo central record is kept of fees paid to Queen's Counsel by the Government. The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.