§ Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Attorney-General (1) what increases have been made in the level of capital disregarded for legal aid during the last 10 years;
(2) whether he will link the level of capital disregarded for legal aid to the equivalent disregard for supplementary benefit.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThere are no proposals at present to link the level of capital disregarded for legal aid with the equivalent disregard for supplementary benefit. However, the Lord Chancellor's Legal Aid Advisory Committee is presently examining afresh the whole basis of the financial conditions for legal aid, including the capital limits.
There has been one increase during the last 10 years in the level of disposable capital which is disregarded in legal aid applications. On 18th December 1972 the limit of £125, which had been in operation since 1960, was raised to £250.