HC Deb 18 January 1999 vol 323 c323W
Sir Nicholas Lyell

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the proportion of cases in the Crown courts in which legally aided defences were subject to the graduated fee scheme in each year between 1991–92 and 1997–98. [65669]

Mr. Hoon

The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, as a proportion of total expenditure on Crown Court Advocates, and as a proportion of total claims submitted by Crown Court Advocates, the coverage of graduated fees, in 1996–97 and 1997–98, was as follows:

Graduated fees1 1996–97 1997–98
Percentage of payments 0.57 59.61
Percentage of expenditure 0.14 24.09
1 The Graduated Fee Scheme was introduced on 1 January 1997 and covers Crown Court Advocates only. It does not cover Crown Court Litigators.