§ Mr. AtkinsonTo ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on time taken from receipt of claim to the payment of solicitors in the No. 3 (southern) legal aid area.
The Attorney-GeneralDetails on the time taken from receipt of claim to the payment of solicitors in the No. 3 legal aid area are kept in the form of percentages of set targets for the board. Legal aid area No. 3 experienced difficulties early last year but these have now been addressed and the area is now regularly surpassing its targets. Its oldest claim awaiting assessment and payment dates from 9 December 1991.
Figures are available for a 12-month period and are set out in the table.
Payment within 6 weeks Civil Per cent. Criminal per cent. Other bills Per cent. Office target for payment within 6 weeks 65 80 95 Actual achievement over last 3 months 90.1 97.2 97.5 Actual achievement over last 6 months 77.9 94.7 96 Actual achievement over last 12 months 64.8 92.7 94.3