§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much has been recovered by the Legal Aid Board in each of the 1005W last three years in 1994 prices; and what percentage this represents of the civil legal aid budget.
Mr. John M. TaylorPayments made to the legal aid fund in respect of civil cases for each of the last three years, at 1994–95 prices, were as follows:
1991–92 £ thousands 1992–93 £ thousands 1993–94 £ thousands Contributions 21,093 22,010 23,892 Costs 104,573 137,832 183,133 Damages 73,677 73,645 80,916 Miscellaneous receipts 686 1,483 1,839 Total receipts 200,030 234,970 289,780 Total civil legal aid receipts represented 35.7 per cent. of gross civil legal aid expenditure in 1991–92. The equivalent figures for 1992–93 and 1993–94 were 32.5 per cent and 34.3 per cent. respectively.
§ Ms MowlamTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of the total legal aid budget was(a) awarded to claimants and (b) spent on administration and establishment in each of the last two years.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe legal aid fund is provided solely for the purpose of providing help and assistance. Net expenditure on legal aid in 1993–94 and 1992–93 was £1.21 billion and £1.093 billion respectively. The cost of administering legal aid is met by separate provision. For the Legal Aid Board, which administers 80 per cent. of the legal aid budget, the cost of administration in 1993–94 and 1992–93 amounted to £47 million and £43.9 million respectively. The Lord Chancellor's Department and the courts are responsible for administering criminal higher legal aid but equivalent figures are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Ms MowlamTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of the legal aid budget was spent in each region of the United Kingdom in each of the last two years.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe information is not available in the form requested. For England and Wales, the proportion of gross legal aid payments to solicitors—including counsels' fees—made by the Legal Aid Board in the last two years was as follows:
1992–93 1993–94 £ million Per Cent. £ million Per Cent. London 139.6 18.56 167.6 19.57 South & East 168.1 22.35 191.2 22.33 South West & Wales 129.1 17.16 142.6 16.65 Midlands 121.8 16.19 137.8 16.08 Merseyside & the North 193.6 25.74 217.3 25.37 An equivalent breakdown for payments made direct to counsel is not available. Total gross payments to counsel in 1992–93 and 1993–94 were £92.6 million and £104.6 million respectively.
The Lord Chancellor's Department meets the cost of criminal higher legal aid. Gross payments to both solicitors and counsel in respect of criminal higher legal aid, by administrative circuit, were as follows:
1006W
1992–93 1993–94 £ million Per cent. £ million Per Cent. South Eastern 113.0 50.91 118.3 49.74 Midland and Oxford 28.6 12.89 32.7 13.75 North Eastern 20.6 9.30 23.5 9.87 Northern 29.3 13.22 29.6 12.46 Wales and Chester 11.2 5.06 14.4 6.05 Western 19.1 8.62 19.3 8.12 Separate schemes exist for legal aid in Scotland and Northern Ireland. For each jurisdiction gross payments in 1992–93 and in 1993–94 were £129.3 million and £144.5 million, and £45.7 million and £53.6 million respectively.