§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the amount of legal aid recovered as a percentage of the amount paid out during each of the last three years where(a) non-franchised firms of solicitors were acting for the assisted persons and (b) franchised firms of. solicitors were acting for the assisted persons. [34135]
§ Mr. HoonThe information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Legal Aid Board records show only those solicitors' offices which hold a franchise and do not specify whether the franchise was in force when the work carried out on a closed case was undertaken. To answer the question would require the checking of individual case payment records across England and Wales.
§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the amount of legal aid recovered by the Legal Aid Board from successful injury claimants during each of the last three full years. [34134]
§ Mr. HoonThe amount of legal aid recovered by the Legal Aid Board from successful personal injury claimants, in respect of cases closed during each of the last three full financial years for which records are available, was as follows:
Year £ million 1994–95 145.64 1995–96 184.36 1996–97 212.36
§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the total amount of legal aid paid to assisted persons for personal injury work during each of the last three full years for which records are available. [34132]
§ Mr. HoonThe total gross amount of legal aid paid to lawyers representing assisted persons in personal injury work (including medical negligence), in respect of cases closed during the last three full financial years for which information is available, was as follows:
Year £ million (gross) 1994–95 190.08 1995–96 239.57 1996–97 274.18