§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases have been dealt with by the legal services ombudsman.
Mr. John M. TaylorA full investigation has been conducted and a report issued in 823 cases. Of these 766 related to complaints about solicitors, 53 to complaints about barristers and four to complaints about licensed conveyancers. The legal services ombudsman has received a further 883 complaints relating to solicitors, of which 559 failed to meet the criteria for investigation, and 324 are either awaiting or under investigation. He has also received a further 58 complaints relating to barristers, of which 42 failed to meet the criteria and 16 are either awaiting or under investigation. In addition, the legal services ombudsman has received a further four complaints relating to licensed conveyancers, none of which met the criteria.
The legal services ombudsman has also investigated and reported on 560 cases which had been referred to the lay observer prior to 31 December 1990, but which had not been dealt with by him before the legal services ombudsman replaced him on 1 January 1991.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many solicitors have been ordered to pay compensation as a result of intervention by the legal services ombudsman.
Mr. John M. TaylorSince 1 January 1991, the legal services ombudsman has recommended that 50 solicitors should pay compensation to complainants. In addition, he has recommended that the Solicitors Complaints Bureau should pay compensation in 10 cases.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellors Department how many people have made a complaint to the legal services ombudsman in relation to their dealings with the Solicitors' Complaints Bureau.
Mr. John Mr. TaylorThe legal services ombudsman has received 1,649 cases relating to the way in which the Solicitors Complaints Bureau has dealt with complaints about solicitors.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to increase funding to the office of the legal services ombudsman.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe allocation to the ombudsman's office for 1993–94, excluding the accommodation charge, will be approximately £547,000. The allocation for 1992–93, on a comparable basis, was approximately £508,000.