§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the amount of the legal aid budget(a) distributed to applicants and (b) spent on administration in the most recent year for which figures are available.
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Mr. John M. TaylorThe net amount paid to solicitors and barristers in 1991–92 in respect of work done for legal-aided clients was £906 million. The administrative costs incurred by the Legal Aid Board in the same year amounted to £40.7 million. In addition, some administrative costs will have been incurred by the courts in respect of those parts of the legal aid scheme—chiefly criminal legal aid—for which they are responsible. These costs cannot be identified separately.
§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the application of his plans for legal aid to people on income support.
Mr. John M. TaylorPeople receiving income support are presently eligible for free legal aid, advice and assistance and assistance by way of representation, and this will continue to be the case under the regulations which came into force on 12 April.