HC Deb 31 March 2004 vol 419 c1418W
Mr. Sarwar

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was paid in legal assistance in asylum cases in 2003. [164974]

Mr. Lammy

The Legal Services Commission does not differentiate asylum from wider immigration cases and the amount paid by the Commission is calculated by financial year. The total legal aid expenditure for immigration and asylum cases for 2002–03 was £176.2 million. A figure for 2003–04 will not be finalised until after the year-end.