§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in each of the last 10 years, how many(a) banisters qualified to practise in court and (b) solicitors there were. [137341]
§ Mr. LockMy Department does not record the information requested but has obtained it from the Bar Council and the Law Society. The number of(a) banisters, who may practise in all courts, and (b) solicitors, who may practise in the lower courts, and (c) the number of solicitors with rights of audience in the higher courts, in each of the last 10 years, is as follows:
(a) (b) (c) Barristers in independent practice Solicitors holding practising certificates Solicitors granted rights of audience in the higher courts each of the years specified 1990 6,645 54,734 — 1991 6,901 57,167 — 1992 7,271 59,566 — 1993 7,735 61,239 — 1994 8,093 63,628 231 1995 8,498 66,123 119 1996 8,935 68,037 77 1997 9,369 71.637 101 1998 9,698 75,072 202 1999 9,932 79,503 200 Note:
The figures for solicitors with higher rights of audience (column c) relate to the number granted rights in each year. The figures are not cumulative as in the preceding columns.