§ Mr. Boydenasked the Attorney-General what was the average amount of costs awarded in divorce actions during 1963 in defended cases and in undefended cases, respectively; and how many such cases were assisted under the Legal Aid Scheme.
The Attorney-GeneralAverage figures of costs are not available and could not be obtained without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour. During 1963 30,303 legal aid certificates were filed by petitioners, respondents and third parties in matrimonial proceedings. Statistics showing how many legally aided cases are defended and how many undefended are not kept, but it is estimated that approximately 9 per cent were defended.
§ Mr. Boydenasked the Attorney-General how much was paid to solicitors and counsel, respectively, for divorce actions under the Legal Aid Scheme during 1963 or other convenient period; and what proportion these payments represents of all payments made for divorce under the scheme during this period.
The Attorney-GeneralDuring 1963 approximately £2.084 million was paid to solicitors for their costs; £.702 million was paid to them for disbursements; and £.698 million was paid in counsel's fees in legally aided matrimonial cases. Solicitors remuneration2W accounted for 60 per cent. of the total expenditure in these cases, and disbursements and counsel's fees each accounted for 20 per cent. The information is not available to enable me to distinguish between the costs of divorce and other matrimonial cases.