Legal Aid (Hansard, 8 June 1992)

§ 41. Mr. Bowis
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will investigate the cost of the law to individuals who are not eligible for legal aid.

Mr. John M. Taylor
In a case which is not covered by legal aid a solicitor's charge is a matter to be agreed with his client. In non-contentious cases a client who feels a solicitor's bill is unreasonable may use the Law Society's free remuneration certification scheme. In addition, in both contentious and non-contentious cases costs can be taxed by the court.

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps his Department has taken in response to the report of the Committee of Public Accounts on the working of the criminal legal aid system.

Mr. John M. Taylor
The Government's response to the report, which was published on 13 May 1992, will be published in the usual manner by way of a Treasury minute. The hon. Member will, however, be aware of the circular on criminal legal aid issued to magistrates courts clerks on 1 April 1992 following the inquiry of the National Audit Office in October of last year and the appearance of the relevant accounting officers before the Public Accounts Committee in January of this year.

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what were the percentage of refusals of initial applications for criminal legal aid in magistrates' courts for(a) the four weeks preceding the coming into force of the Lord Chancellor's recent circular on criminal legal aid and (b) the four weeks following that date.

Mr. John M. Taylor
The information is not available in the form requested.

§ Mr. Llwyd
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy to ensure that legal aid is made available to women seeking claims through industrial tribunals.

Mr. John M. Taylor
Advice and assistance, but not representation, is already available under the legal aid "green form" scheme to men and women.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to reduce34W the length of time taken by the investigations branch of the Legal Aid Board to process cases of suspected fraud by solicitors in relation to legal aid.

Mr. John M. Taylor
The investigation of fraudulent claims made by solicitors is a matter for the Legal Aid Board. Those which are subject to police investigation are given priority and close liaison is maintained with the investigating officers.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what information he has on the number of fraud cases pending against solicitors in relation to claims for legal aid under the green form scheme; and what representations he has had from chief constables or their fraud squad chiefs and others in respect of unreasonable delays in computer processing of the information on claims required for such police investigations.

Mr. John M. Taylor
I understand from the Legal Aid Board that there are currently 27 cases under investigation by its fraud investigation branch which relate to alleged offences of fraud under the green form scheme; and that no representations have been received concerning information required for police investigations.