§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the total annual expenditure on legal aid in each of the last five years and the annual real terms change; what is the expected total annual expenditure on legal aid in each of the next three years and the expected real terms change; and if he will make a statement. [84750]
§ Mr. VazNet expenditure on legal aid in each of the last five years was as follows:
£ million 1994–95 1,299 1995–96 1,391 1996–97 1,476 1997–98 1,526 1998–991 1,600 1 Estimated The annual upward percentage change, in real terms, was as follows:
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Per cent. 1994–95 5.5 1995–96 4.5 1996–97 3.5 1997–98 0.7 1998–991 3.3 1Estimated Over the next three years the Government expect to spend on average £1,600 million each year. That is £248 million more than the previous Government planned.
The measures contained in the Access to Justice Bill will ensure that available funds are targeted on priority cases. Conditional fees will increase access to justice for everyone. This will release legal aid moneys which otherwise would be expended on cases that will now go forward under conditional fee agreements, to support cases of greater priority, for example, cases which should in the public interest be supported.
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