§ Mr. Alexander Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many men in Scotland have made application for legal aid in order to institute divorce proceedings in the years 1965 to 1972, inclusive; and what is the total sum of money involved;
(2) how many women in Scotland have applied for legal aid in order to institute divorce proceedings in the years 1965 to 1972, inclusive; and what is the total sum of money involved.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellInformation is not available in precisely this form. The number of legal aid certificates granted to men and women respectively for the purpose of instituting divorce proceedings in Scotland during the year ended 31st March in the period 1965–66 to 1971–72 was as follows:
Men Women 1965–66 816 2,695 1966–67 877 2,862 1967–68 812 3,074 1968–69 816 3,621 1969–70 717 3,939 1970–71 653 3,885 1971–72 1,093 5,202 Payments made from the Legal Aid (Scotland) Fund during the same period in settlement of accounts rendered by solicitors acting for assisted pursuers—men and women—in divorce proceedings were as follows:
£ 1965–66 … … 221,787 1966–67 … … 294,154 1967–68 … … 295,070 1968–69 … … 423,006 1969–70 … … 472,094 1970–71 … … 482,279 1971–72 … … 599,337