§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Attorney-General what arrangements will be made to obtain evidence and advice from the solicitors' profession on legal aid, for the purposes of the review of the financial conditions for legal aid announced on 13 November 1989.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe solicitors' profession will be consulted as appropriate for information and for its views.
§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Attorney-General (1) what is his estimate of the percentage of the population now potentially eligible on income grounds for legal aid for non-matrimonial cases; what was the equivalent figure obtaining in 1979 and each successive year; and whether he will place a summary of relevant calculations of the data used in the Library;
(2) what progress has been made in the study of family expenditure survey data and the conclusions to be drawn from it in relation to eligibility for legal aid since his answer of 20 March 1989, Official Report, column 449.
§ The Attorney-GeneralEstimates indicate that at present about 56 per cent. of the population is eligible on income grounds alone for civil legal aid in non-matrimonial cases. This estimate does not take account of the improvements announced on 13 November 1989,Official Report, column 3, which will be introduced in April. It was based on data obtained from the family expenditure survey—in relation to income for each household type and deductions for housing costs, tax and national insurance payments and allowances for dependants—grossed up and uprated to current level equivalents through a computer model. Such calculations cannot be made for earlier years except at disproportionate cost.