Written Question · S1W-02916 · Session 1
How many women in the last year were offered civil legal aid and subsequently declined it; what the subject matter of these cases was, and …
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many women in the last year were offered civil legal aid and subsequently declined it; what the subject matter of these cases was, and how much money would have been involved if those women who turned down civil legal aid had been granted full civil legal aid without having to pay contributions.
The answer
In 1998-99, the Scottish Legal Aid Board received 23,988 applications for legal aid, of which 14,811 (62%) were submitted by women. The table below shows the breakdown in initial decisions made by the Board: | All categories
Female | Male
Abandoned | 8.0% | 9.3%
Grant with Contribution | 8.8% | 9.8%
Grant Without Contribution | 51.0% | 39.5%
Refused Means | 2.6% | 3.7%
Refused Merits | 21.9% | 31.8%
Refused After Offer | 7.8% | 6.0%
Of the 1,704 offers of legal aid which were "refused after offer", 1,151 were refused by women and 553 by men. A breakdown of the subject matter of these cases and the estimated gross cost to the Legal Aid Fund had these cases proceeded with legal aid and no contribution is shown in the table below: | Female | £ | Male | £
Divorce | 753 | 1,000,166.55 | 232 | 359,361.28
Other Family | 224 | 380,973.52 | 213 | 337,342.62
Interdict | 64 | 42,211.12 | 16 | 15,723.00
Debt | 11 |
Female | Male
Abandoned | 8.0% | 9.3%
Grant with Contribution | 8.8% | 9.8%
Grant Without Contribution | 51.0% | 39.5%
Refused Means | 2.6% | 3.7%
Refused Merits | 21.9% | 31.8%
Refused After Offer | 7.8% | 6.0%
Of the 1,704 offers of legal aid which were "refused after offer", 1,151 were refused by women and 553 by men. A breakdown of the subject matter of these cases and the estimated gross cost to the Legal Aid Fund had these cases proceeded with legal aid and no contribution is shown in the table below: | Female | £ | Male | £
Divorce | 753 | 1,000,166.55 | 232 | 359,361.28
Other Family | 224 | 380,973.52 | 213 | 337,342.62
Interdict | 64 | 42,211.12 | 16 | 15,723.00
Debt | 11 |
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S1W-02916 by reference.