§ Mr. McFallTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 17 February,Official Report, column 430, what information the Scottish Legal Aid Board collates on the number of fee earners and fees per fee earner per firm. [16980]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 24 February 1997]: The Scottish Legal Aid Board installed computer software in spring 1996 to make it possible for the solicitor acting in each case and the fees paid for each case to be identified. However, the procedure in solicitors' firms varies. In some, legal aid certificates are issued in the name of a senior partner rather than in the name of the solicitor actually handling the case. Moreover, some routine work, such as precognitions, may be handled by another solicitor in the firm. Thus, in the absence of detailed information 158W concerning the activities of individuals, it is not possible for the board to identify accurately the earnings of "fee earners" in each case.