§ Mr. Keith HillTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list(a) the areas in which transaction criteria have been published and the date of publication and (b) the areas in which transaction criteria are still being developed and the expected date of publication. [10436]
§ Mr. StreeterTransaction criteria were published, ahead of the introduction of the Legal Aid Board's franchising scheme, in July 1994, in the nine franchised areas of work, as follows: family matrimonial, personal injury, employment, debt, contract, housing, immigration, welfare benefits, criminal litigation. I am informed by the chief executive that the Legal Aid Board is currently looking at areas where the scope of transaction criteria might be extended.
Transaction criteria have recently been drafted to extend the audit scope within the welfare benefits and housing categories. It is expected that these will be published in April 1997, ahead of implementation.