§ Mr. Rowlandsasked the Attorney-General in how many instances in the 184W last 10 years the Official Solicitor has-intervened in legal actions; and what was the nature of the cases involved.
§ The Attorney-GeneralNo complete statistics of business undertaken by the Official Solicitor are available before the year 1968.From 1968 to 1971 there were referred to him over 41,000 legal matters, consisting mainly of: receiverships on behalf of mental patients; matrimonial causes in which he has acted on behalf of mental patients and to protect children's interests; wardship and adoption proceedings; bail applications; and contempt cases.
The total number of contempt cases reviewed by the Official Solicitor between November, 1962 and February, 1972 was 1,125, in 214 of which he applied to the court for the contemnor's release.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Attorney-General how many discussions the Law Officers of the Crown had with the Official Solicitor in the week commencing Monday, 15th June; and for what purposes.
§ The Attorney-GeneralNone.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Attorney-General whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, as much detailed information as may be readily available of the number of occasions where the courts have ordered the arrest, or issued warrants for the arrest of persons without a criminal record for failing to attend court or obey a court order on first instruction to attend as a witness in court; in how many instances in these cases the Official Solicitor has appeared with or without the request and authority of those awaiting arrests to defend them on appeal; and with what results.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThis information is not readily available. No central records are kept of the occasions on which the civil or criminal courts enforce by arrest their powers to compel the attendance of witnesses. The Official Solicitor is not involved in such cases.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Attorney-General whether he will make 185W a statement on the duties of the Official Solicitor; who holds this position; what are his qualifications; what salary he receives; and what official duties he performed on Friday, 16th June.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Official Solicitor is Mr. N. H. Turner. His qualification for appointment was that he had been an admitted solicitor of 10 years' standing and had held the office of Assistant Official Solicitor to the Supreme Court. His salary is £6,750 a year, plus "London weighting".
The Official Solicitor is a servant of the Supreme Court and has the general duty of assisting the Court. His functions include, among many other things: representing minors and mental patients in every kind of legal proceeding, particularly adoptions, wardships and matrimonial causes; acting as receiver for mental patients; dealing with applications for bail on behalf of poor prisoners; and keeping under review the cases of persons committed to prison for contempt of court.
On Friday, 16th June, the Official Solicitor, in addition to discharging the other normal duties of his office, took the steps referred to by the Master of the Rolls in his statement made on Monday, 19th June.