§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give, for the latest convenient period, the average cost to the legal aid fund of (a) an undefended divorce action in the Court of Session, (b) an undefended action on the ground of adultery or unreasonable behaviour and (c) on the ground of desertion or periods of non-cohabitation; and if he will give comparable figures for a convenient period before the introduction of the affidavit procedure.
§ Mr. RifkindThe latest available average costs for legal aid accounts paid is for 1979–80 and the latest comparable period before the introduction of the affidavit procedure is for 1977–78, as follows:
Grounds 1979–80 1977–78 £ £ Adultery 384 328 Unreasonable behaviour 329 290 Desertion 295 262 Non-cohabitation (2 years) 262 262 Non-cohabitation (5 years) 270 268 All grounds 320 296 The 1979–80 figures include many accounts for divorce actions heard before the introduction of the affidavit procedure in 1978. The figures are not directly comparable because of increases in legal aid fees during the period.