HL Deb 11 November 1999 vol 606 cc247-9WA
Lord McColl of Dulwich

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the net cost to public funds of the Norplant litigation. [HL4482]

The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg)

The information requested is not presently available. For legal aid, the net cost of the Norplant litigation has yet to be determined.

Lord McColl of Dulwich

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the names of the firms of solicitors and barristers who represented the legally aided claimants in the Norplant litigation. [HL4483]

The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg)

The Legal Aid Board awarded a contract to Messrs Freeth Cartwright Hunt Dickens to undertake the generic work, that is work common to all the claimants' cases. They also acted for the majority of the legally aided claimants in the non-generic work, that is the work specific to their individual claims. Messrs Irwin Mitchell were also instructed to undertake non-generic work by a large number of the claimants.

Counsel most heavily involved were Laura Cox Q.C., Peter Goldsmith Q.C. and Oliver Thorold.

Lord McColl of Dulwich

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many legally aided claimants obtained compensation in the Norplant litigation. [HL4484]

The Lord Chancellor

Compensation was obtained by one claimant in the Norplant litigation. However, as there was no order for costs and the legal costs exceeded the amount of compensation agreed, the statutory charge had to be applied resulting in the claimant receiving nothing.

The contract for the generic work in the Norplant multi-party action was issued under the Legal Aid Board's multi-party actions arrangements 1992. Since then, the board has introduced greater control measures for these cases by implementing some of the proposals set out in its consultation document, When the Price is High, which was launched in 1997.

Lord McColl of Dulwich

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many legally aided claimants there were in the multi-party Norplant [HL4485]

The Lord Chancellor

Legal aid certificates were issued to 324 claimants. Writs were issued in 189 legally aided cases and the remaining 135 certificates were discharged without proceedings having been served.