§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Attorney-General how many investigations are currently being undertaken by the investigation branch of the Legal Aid Board; and what is the average length of time taken for those investigations to he completed.
The Attorney-GeneralSixty-three cases are currently being investigated by the Legal Aid Board. It took an average of some two years to conclude each of the seven cases prosecuted in the past three years.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Attorney-General what consultations have been held with the Association of Chief Police Officers concerning the number of fraud squad investigations into fraudulent claims for legal aid which are awaiting data processing by the Legal Aid Board.
The Attorney-GeneralThere has been no direct consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers. However, the investigation manager of the Legal Aid Board liaises regularly with various police fraud squads throughout England and Wales to discuss possible fraudulent legal aid claims.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Attorney-General how many(a) successful and (b) total prosecutions there have been following evidence supplied to fraud squads by the investigations branch of the Legal Aid Board over the last three years; how much public money has been (a) lost and (b) subsequently recovered arising from such investigations; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-GeneralIn the past three years there have been seven Crown Court prosecutions, five of which have been successful. The Legal Aid Board has been awarded some £52,000 formal compensation by the court for three of these cases. The board pursues the recovery of any sums overclaimed from the legal aid fund, whether or not there is evidence of fraud and irrespective of the outcome of any criminal proceedings.
§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Attorney-General what effect the introduction of central taxing teams has had on the time taken to deal with legal aid claims; and if he will take steps to reduce this time.
The Attorney-GeneralSince the establishment of the central taxing teams in March 1991. only cases under £4,000 are determined in the Crown Court. In the year 357W until March 1991, the percentage of non-standard fee determinations paid within one month of the Crown Court was 62.5 per cent. for solicitors and 62.4 per cent. for counsel. In the eight months from March to November 1991, the percentage of non-standard fee determinations remaining in the Crown Court paid within one month had increased to 71 per cent. for solicitors and to 71–3 per cent. for counsel. The percentage of standard fee claims paid within 10 days had increased from 67.8 per cent. to 70.2 per cent. for solicitors and from 67.9 per cent. to 70.1 per cent. for counsel. The average time taken to deal with standard fee claims had been reduced from 12 days to 10.5 days for solicitors and from 11 days to 9.75 days for counsel. Equivalent figures are not available for claims amounting to more than £4,000 which are now handled by the central taxing teams, but the times taken by the teams to determine such claims in November 1991 were provided in a recent written answer to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlisle) Official Report, 11 December 1991, column 421.
The Lord Chancellor's Department has recently increased the number of determining officers available to the teams by nearly 40 per cent. In addition, where a number of claims for less than £4,000 are linked to claims for between £4,000 and £8,000, circuit taxing directors have been authorised to release these claims to the court for determination and this is done wherever appropriate. These initiatives have resulted in a significant increase in the disposal rate of the teams which will lead to a reduction in waiting times in the coming months. A number of initiatives to train additional determining officers are also being carried forward.