HC Deb 08 February 2002 vol 379 cc1228-9W
Mr. Vaz

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many legal aid firms Ministers in his Department have visited since 7 June 2001. [31863]

Mr. Wills

The Department's Ministers occasionally visit law centres, solicitors' firms and barristers' chambers. In December 2001, as part of one such visit, the Lord Chancellor visited a Birmingham solicitors' firm which holds a contract to carry out publicly funded criminal work. In addition, the Legal Services Commission, for which the Lord Chancellor has ministerial responsibility, visits firms which carry out publicly funded work on an on-going basis, for development and audit purposes.