§ Ms Roseanna CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for(a) advice and assistance and (b) civil legal aid have been made by individuals for judicial review of decisions by the Scottish Legal Aid Board refusing civil legal aid in each year since its inception. [33867]
§ Mr. McLeishThe only information available relates to civil legal aid applications in 1997, of which there were 38.
§ Ms Roseanna CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the policy of the Legal Aid Board on the level of remuneration of its law agents, where they are defending the Scottish Legal Aid Board against applications for judicial review of their decisions; [33868]
(2) if he will estimate the savings to public funds if the Scottish Legal Aid Board restricted to the legal aid rate remuneration to their law agents in each year since its inception. [33869]
§ Mr. McLeishThe policy of the Board is not to use the services of law agents in defending judicial reviews against the Board. The work is undertaken by the solicitors employed by the Board and therefore the question of the level of remuneration does not arise.