§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research was conducted prior to the Sheriff Court Fees (Amendment) Order 1993 into the future numbers of those raising or defending court actions and the costs of administration to the Scottish legal aid system; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 25 February 1994]: Estimates of the future workload of the civil business of the sheriff courts are used to generate the 661W memorandum trading account which indicates the income required from court fees. The implications of the revised fees for the Scottish legal aid fund were taken into account during the public expenditure round.