HC Deb 01 July 1992 vol 210 cc574-5W
Sir Ivan Lawrence

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what contributions to criminal legal aid by defendants over the past 10 years have(a) been ordered by the court and (b) been paid.

Mr. John M. Taylor

For the amount of contributions to criminal legal aid paid by defendants over the last 10 years, I refer my hon. and learned Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) on 21 May 1992, Official Report columns 207–8. Information on the amount of contributions ordered by the courts is not collected centrally.

Sir Ivan Lawrence

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the cost of criminal legal aid to the Exchequer over each of the past

Criminal legal aid expenditure (£ million)
Financial Year Magistrates' courts payments Higher courts payments Other payments Receipts Cost to the Exchequer
1982–83 56.12 51.98 5.77 1.77 112.10
1983–84 62.18 58.81 7.12 2.03 126.08
1984–85 68.06 67.95 10.21 1.98 144.23
1985–86 81.35 75.29 15.22 1.98 169.88
1986–87 87.07 91.83 29.59 2.35 206.14
1987–88 114.02 100.09 37.84 2.90 249.05
1988–89 127.39 119.30 39.78 3–06 283.41
1989–90 151–48 135.05 47.94 3.68 330.79
1990–91 174.90 157.81 56.01 4.54 384.18
1991–92 212.03 187.47 76.32 3.38 472.44

Note: It was not possible to divide legal aid expenditure between the Crown and Appeal courts in each of the past 10 years, therefore higher courts expenditure has been provided instead.