HC Deb 16 February 1999 vol 325 cc669-70W
Mr. Ruffley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) the London barristers' chambers and (b) the London solicitors' firms that have performed services for his Department (i) since I May 1997 and (ii) in the equivalent period preceding that date, indicating the remuneration paid in each particular case. [70036]

Mr. Timms

[holding answer 8 February 1999]: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General appointed Philip Sales as First Junior Treasury Counsel (Common Law) and Jonathon Crowe as First Junior Treasury Counsel (Chancery) to advise and represent the Government in their important civil cases. In addition, the Attorney-General maintains at present two London panels of junior Counsel whom departments are expected to use for the rest of the government's civil litigation. The panels currently comprise 103 banisters from 42 different sets of chambers. The Attorney-General will shortly appoint a third panel of very junior banisters. The Attorney-General's individual nomination is required before a barrister who is not one of the approved panels can be instructed to appear for the government in litigation.

DSS executive NDPBs
Occupational Pensions

Regulatory Authority

Pensions Compensation Board (PCB)
Voluntary Statutory Requirement Voluntary Statutory Requirement
Have a statutory base? yes yes
Admit members of public to all board or committee meetings? Not practicable 1Not practicable
Hold public meetings? No No
Have lay or consumer representatives on their boards? 2 2
Operate some form of appeal or complaints procedure? 3Yes 4Yes
Subject to investigation by the parliamentary commissioner? Yes Yes

Departments may use firms of solicitors in addition to the Treasury Solicitor and their Departmental legal advisers, for example where the relevant expertise lies in the private sector. The relationship is subject to the usual confidentiality which operates between lawyer and client.

On 1 September 1995 the DSS established framework agreements for the supply of legal services with three firms of solicitors—Bird & Bird, Dibb Lupton & Allsop, and Wansboroughs Willey Hargrave. Under that framework agreement the DSS HQ and its Agencies have used those firms for major information technology contracts, some of which are continuing. However specifying sums of money paid to them would involve disproportionate costs.

The framework agreements have recently been re-let, the successful solicitors being Bird & Bird, Dibb Lupton & Allsop, Simmonds & Simmonds and Eversheds.

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