§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of solicitors in Scotland; and how many of them have withdrawn from the civil legal aid service.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe number of enrolled solicitors in Scotland as at 31 October 1990 was 8,510. No reliable information is at present available on how many firms and fee earners currently provide civil legal aid or on whether this figure has changed in the past few years.
§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations the Legal Aid Board has received from Glasgow Bar Association about the levels of legal aid and the board's procedures for payment; and what has been the outcome of the board's consideration of points made to it.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonI have asked the chairman of the Scottish Legal Aid Board to write to the hon. Member on this matter.