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4 Jun 2008 : Column 1037W—continued
Judges: Housing
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost to the public purse of the provision of accommodation and associated services for judges in (a) London and (b) elsewhere in England and Wales was in the last 12 month period for which figures are available; how many judges were provided with such accommodation and services in each location; and what the average cost per judge was of such provision, broken down by location of accommodation. [207922]
Mr. Straw: The total cost of providing the network of judges’ lodgings in 2006-07, which is the last year for which audited figures are presently available, was £4,947,766.26. The average cost since 1999-2000 has remained at just over £5 million which, when inflationary pressures are taken into account, shows that the economics of lodgings are carefully managed and have delivered a saving since 2000 of 12 per cent. Nevertheless, the cost of lodgings is kept under permanent review.
No lodgings expenses of any kind were funded in London in 2006-07.
The data set out as follows relate to the 32 judges’ lodgings in England and Wales. The first table sets out how many judges and clerks were provided with accommodation at the 32 lodgings located across England and Wales and what the average cost per judge week was in each case. The data set out as follows also include 17 lodgings owned by the Department that are not occupied by judges all the time. These permanent lodgings incur a cost throughout the year which will generate an increased cost per High Court judge week; equally, the average cost per week will decline as the lodgings are used more frequently. This is illustrated by the cost per week of Norwich lodgings over the last four years, given in the second table.
| Judges lodgings | Number of judges accommodated | Total cost (£) | Cosy per judge week (£) |
| Norwich judges lodgings data 2004-07 | |||
| Total running costs (£) | Judge weeks used | Cost per judge week (£) | |
Judiciary: Allowances
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what allowances for (a) accommodation and (b) subsistence are payable to members of the judiciary required to stay overnight away from home in connection with their official duties; what rates apply to each category of judge; and if he will make a statement. [207544]
Mr. Straw: Judicial office holders receive the following allowances where required to stay overnight, and away from their home, in connection with their official duties:
Hotels and private clubs in London: Actual expenditure up to a ceiling of £120 for bed and breakfast costs.
Hotels and private clubs elsewhere: Actual expenditure up to a ceiling of £100 for bed and breakfast costs.
Rented accommodation in London: Actual rental expenditure up to a ceiling of £60.
Rented accommodation elsewhere: Actual rental expenditure up to a ceiling of £50.
Second home in London (e.g. town flat): Reimbursement of expenses necessarily incurred up to a limit of £32.45.
Second home elsewhere (e.g. country cottage): Reimbursement of expenses necessarily incurred up to a limit of £31.
24 hour allowance for overnight stays: £21.
Personal incidental expenditure allowance: £5.
The rates apply to all categories of judge.
Judges lodgings are available to High Court judges in a number of centres.
Legal Aid Scheme
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which 10 barristers received the highest fees for civil legal aid work from the community legal services in the most recent year for which figures are available; and how much was received in each case. [207924]
Maria Eagle: The most recent year for which the information is available is 2006-07. The 10 barristers receiving the highest fees for civil legal aid work in the year ending 31 March 2007 were:
| £ | |
These figures must be interpreted carefully and do not represent the personal earnings of the individuals listed in any one year. There are a number of reasons for this.
The amounts paid to each barrister listed represent payments for work covering many years, for a variety of cases. The amount an individual receives in any year fluctuates widely, and is to a large extent due to the variety of payment processes and schemes used by the LSC and the courts.
All the figures listed are inclusive of VAT (17.5 per cent.) as paid, and disbursements incurred (e.g. travelling). Individual barristers must pay that VAT to HM Revenue and Customs.
Barristers pay a percentage of their fees towards professional overheads. Additionally, barristers face the same expenses as any other self-employed person, including income tax and national insurance contributions.
These figures represent gross payments made to the barristers during the year. However, some of those monies have been paid (or may in the future be repaid) to the CLS by other parties. This will happen in cases where the legally aided party wins the case and recovers costs from the opponent. Once those costs are recovered the legally aided party's solicitor refunds some or all of the money to the CLS fund. As a consequence the figures may not reflect the actual cost of the barristers' fees to the fund. In some cases where costs are recovered from the losing party, the actual cost to the CLS fund may be very little or even nothing.
This information has also been published on the Department's website at the following location:
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