§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the budget allocated to the Legal Services Commission was in 2003–04; and what the corresponding figures were in(a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001. [117477]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonFor the financial years from 1999to 2001 the respective annual budget allocations to the Legal Services Commission for legal aid were:
£ million 1999–2000 1,200 2000– 1,248 2001–02 1,219 The figures do not include the amounts allocated to criminal cases in the higher courts. For the corresponding years the funds made available for criminal cases in the higher courts were:
£ million 1999–2000 412 2000–01 435 2001–02 474 Note:
These figures are described in cash terms.
The annual budget allocation to the Legal Services Commission for legal aid in 2003–04 is £1,726 million. This now includes legal aid for cases in the higher criminal courts. It does not, however, include resources for immigration/asylum matters, which are now to be included in a separate, single asylum fund. Resources for that budget are yet to be finalised.
In line with changes in Government accounting this amount is described in terms of resources, which differs from cash in that resources are accounted for as and when they are consumed rather than when they are paid for.