§ Mr. Alex Carlileasked the Attorney-General what negotiations the Lord Chancellor and his officials have conducted with representatives of the Bar concerning fees in criminal cases; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralOfficials have discussed the report on remuneration of barristers carrying out criminal legal aid, prepared for the Bar by Coopers & Lybrand, with the representatives of the Bar Council. In his letter of 7 February to the chairman of the Bar, the Lord Chancellor said that he remained to be convinced, on the information before him, that the current rates did not represent fair and reasonable remuneration. He made it clear in that letter that he wished to hold further discussions with the Bar about the need to keep fees at a level to attract competent people to the criminal Bar. He accepted that current rates needed to be adjusted for next year, and he was therefore proposing to bring forward regulations based on a routine uprating calculated according to the same formula as in previous years. This would allow for a five per cent. increase overall from 1 April.