HC Deb 15 March 2001 vol 364 c704W
Mr. Garnier

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his oral statement, inStanding Committee A, Official Report, 6 March 2001; c. 6, how many solicitors' firms had signed up to the Legal Services Commission contract for criminal legal services by 12 March; and how many he expects will have done so by 2 April. [153586]

Mr. Lock

As at 12 March 2001, the Legal Services Commission had received 1,285 signed general criminal contracts from firms of solicitors across England and Wales. It is expected that some 2,800 firms, the vast majority of those that were offered contracts to sign, will elect to take up the contract.