§ Mr. BoatengTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will publish the number of solicitors' firms which have so far applied to the Legal Aid Board for a franchise.
Mr. John M. TaylorSome 933 firms of solicitors have applied to the Legal Aid Board for a franchise in one or more franchised categories of work. This represents a total of 1,512 offices which have made such an application.