§ Mr. Peter AtkinsonTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what experience or professional qualifications are required of those people who work in agencies providing free legal advice on personal injury cases.
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Mr. John M. TaylorIndividual agencies are best placed to decide the level of skills and training required. At present, only solicitors are able to obtain payment from the legal aid fund for advice given. However, the Legal Aid Board is currently working with the advice sector to define quality assurance standards for advice and assistance in areas of social welfare law. This would enable non-solicitors in agencies meeting these standards to deliver advice and assistance through the legal aid scheme. At present there are no plans to extend this to personal injury cases.
§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the average sum of money awarded in those personal injury cases heard in county courts in each year since 1990.
Mr. John M. TaylorBased on sample surveys, the estimated average value of monetary awards for personal injury cases disposed of by trial at county courts in each year from 1990 to 1993 inclusive is £3,100, £3,700, £4,500 and £7,300 respectively. Corresponding figures relating to cases disposed of by arbitration are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Peter AtkinsonTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) how many malpractice claims have been brought against general practitioners for failing to diagnose correctly the severity of personal injury for each year since 1990;
(2) how many general practitioners have been disciplined as a result of a malpractice claim brought against them for failing to diagnose the severity of a personal injury for each year since 1990.
Mr. John M. TaylorThis information is not held centrally by the Lord Chancellor's Department and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.