Ms.Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what proportion of applicants during the period of trial of the postal declaration forms for civil legal aid in each of the following groups were assessed as financially ineligible for legal aid (a) those who declared their means on the postal forms and (b) those assessed at an interview;
(2) what proportion of applicants in each of the following groups during the period of trial of the postal declaration forms for civil legal aid were assessed to pay nil contribution (a) those who declared their means on the postal forms and (b) those assessed at an interview;
(3) what has been the result of the preliminary trial of the postal declaration form for civil legal aid means assessment.
Ms.Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of applicants for civil legal aid request an interview in preference to completing the postal form.
§ Dr.BoysonThis information is not available. From 2 April, when the postal declaration form was introduced, the number of interviews will be recorded as a proportion of the number of applications for legal aid.
Ms.Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of applicants for civil legal aid now attend an assessment office for an interview in relation to their means assessment.
§ Dr.BoysonThe postal declaration form was introduced on 2 April and statistics are not yet available on the number of applicants interviewed since that date. All self employed applicants continue to be interviewed and they represent about 10 per cent. of the total.
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Ms.Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many posts in his Department will be lost as a result of the introduction of the postal declaration form for civil legal aid assessment.
§ Dr.BoysonSince the introduction of postal declaration forms, for non self employed cases, the complement allocated nationally to legal aid work has been reduced by 18 posts in legal aid assessment offices and by 116 posts in other DHSS offices responsible for interviewing applicants.
Ms.Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations were carried out with legal aid assessment officers before the introduction of the postal declaration forms.
§ Dr.BoysonThe staff of all 12 legal aid assessment offices were actively involved at the stages prior to the introduction of the forms in April.
Ms.Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if postal declaration forms for civil legal aid are dealt with by legal aid assessment officers only.
Ms.Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has decided to adopt the recommendations of the Rayner scrutiny on legal aid assessment.
Ms.Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the past, current and future arrangements to ensure compliance with section 22 of the Legal Aid Act 1974 as far as they affect his Department.