HL Deb 20 March 1997 vol 579 cc89-90WA
Lord Marlesford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will set out the chronology of the decisions and events which have led to the granting of legal aid to Dr. Jawad Hashim.

The Lord Chancellor

Dr. Jawad Hashim was granted two legal aid certificates, in January 1992 and March 1993. Initially, his assets had been frozen by the courts and the legal merits of his case were supported by the opinion of leading counsel.

In June 1994, following a High Court judgment, the Legal Aid Board reviewed Dr. Hashim's legal aid status and found him to be the real owner of substantial assets, resulting in the revocation of one certificate in December 1994 and the suspension of the other. The second certificate was subsequently revoked in November 1995.

Dr. Hashim appealed against the revocations of his certificates. Both revocations were converted to discharges but the certificates were not reinstated.

I am unable to provide any further information about the factors which led to the board's decisions in this case, as I am bound by the confidentiality provisions of Section 38 of the Legal Aid Act 1988.