HC Deb 18 January 1999 vol 323 cc322-3W
Sir Nicholas Lyell

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to paragraph 35 of the explanatory notes to the Access to Justice Bill [Lords], what were the annual increases in expenditure on legal aid overall in each year from 1991–92 to 1997–98. [65665]

Mr. Hoon

The annual increase in each year was as follows:

Year £million Percentage
1991–92 223 33
1992–93 188 21
1993–94 116 11
1994–95 89 7
1995–96 91 7
1996–97 86 6
1997–98 50 3

Generally, average payments continue to rise at a rate well above inflation. In the last year, for example, the average increase in all categories of legal aid exceeded the inflation rate of 3.3 per cent. and were as follows:

Percentage
Civil 12.4
Criminal Higher 7.3
Criminal Magistrates 4.4
ABWOR 9.9
Duty Solicitor 4.6
Advice and Assistance 7.1