§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the average(a) cost for legal aid for and (b) number of briefings in contested private law contact or residence proceedings regarding children for cases of domestic violence was in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000, (iii) 2001 and (iv) 2002. [60396]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe average cost of legal aid and the number of hearings, to the level specified in the question, can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. We can, however, provide the numbers and average cost of claims paid in the relevant case categories during calendar years 1999–2001 and for the first four months of 2002.
These are as follows.
961W
Year Number of claims Average cost of claim (£) Residence and care proceedings 1999 61,023 2,014 2000 55,889 2,011 2001 49,078 2,294 20023 15,697 2,268 Domestic violence proceedings1 1999 26,206 1,629 2000 25,369 1,698 2001 23,465 1,885 20023 7,774 1,875 Combined family proceedings2 1999 377 2,365 2000 429 2,827 2001 419 3,284 20023 124 3,569 1 These may or may not involve children 2 These include two or more claims for ancillary relief, residence and/or contact, injunction 3 Includes only January to April 2002