§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much has been spent on legal aid to date in respect of the case of Gavin Mellor. [131307]
§ Mr. LockMr. Mellor was granted a legal aid certificate on 1 February 1999, to bring judicial review proceedings against the Home Secretary's decision not to allow him and his wife access to artificial insemination facilities.
In a complex legal matter such as this, it is the practice of the Legal Services Commission to carry out periodic reviews of the case to ensure that the criteria for public funding continue to be met. It would be unusual to fund a case of this type unless a favourable counsel's opinion had been received.
As at 14 July 2000, the total amount that had been paid on the certificate was a disbursement of £277. No other bills have so far been submitted by Mr. Mellor's solicitors.