§ Mr. BrazierTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many people were(a) investigated and (b) prosecuted for false declarations of means in application for legal aid in the years 1985–86 to 1994–95. [34508]
Mr. John M. TaylorThe Legal Aid Board's investigation section was set up in 1988. The information requested for the period prior to this date is not available.
The number of applicants investigated for false declaration of means in their applications for legal aid is as follows:
- 1987–88: Nil
- 1988–89: Nil
- 1989–90: Nil
- 1990–91: 6
- 1991–92: 5
- 1992–93: 8
- 1993–94: 15
- 1994–95: 25
The number of assisted persons prosecuted under section 39 of the Legal Aid Act 1988 over the same period is as follows:
- 1987–88: Nil
- 1988–89: Nil
- 1989–90: Nil
- 1990–91: Nil
- 1991–92: 2
- 1992–93: Nil
- 1993–94: 2
- 1994–95: 2
An additional case, which included other offences of obtaining Department of Social Security benefits by deception and evasion of paying poll tax, was prosecuted in 1994–95. The Crown Prosecution Service decided to institute proceedings under the Theft Act 1968 to deal with all the offences.