§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was awarded in(a) legal costs and (b) damages for clinical negligence cases in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [187810]
§ Angela SmithThe information in respect of the cost of clinical negligence cases in Northern Ireland in relation to each of the previous six years is as follows.
Amounts paid in settlements for clinical negligence claims from 1998–99 to 2003–04 £000 1998–99 12,286 1999–2000 4,859 2000–01 9,409 2001–02 7,415 2002–03 13,550 2003–04 15,194 The information relating to the previous four years is not readily available in the form requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Information on the split of the above figures between damages and legal costs is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.