Written Question · S3W-27915 · Session 3
Further to the answer to question S3W-27403 by Kenny MacAskill on 24 September 2009, whether the Scottish Ministerial Code precludes minist…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27403 by Kenny MacAskill on 24 September 2009, whether the Scottish Ministerial Code precludes ministers from detailing the cost of any legal advice sought since May 2007 and, if not, whether it will provide that information.
The answer
The Scottish Ministerial Code does not preclude ministers from detailing the cost of any legal advice sought since May 2007. Since that date the Scottish Government and its agencies have spent the following sums on legal representation and advice:
| Counsels Fees
| Work Outsourced to External Legal Firms
| Running Costs of Internal Legal Offices (the Scottish Government Legal Directorate, the Office of Scottish Parliamentary Counsel and the Legal Secretariat to the Lord Advocate)
1 May 2007 to 31 March 2008
| £688,636
| £1,874,959
| £8,245,417
1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009
| £765,656
| £4,078,303
| £9,207,000
1 April 2009 to 30 September 2009
| £234,272
| £3,428,367
| £4,643,500
Total
| £1,688,564
| £9,381,629
| £22,095,917
The following is the original answer (published on 29 October 2009); see below.
The Scottish Ministerial Code does not preclude ministers from detailing the cost of any legal advice sought since May 2007. Since that date the Scottish Government and its agencies have spent the following sums on legal representation and advice:
| Counsel''s fees:
| Work outsourced to external legal firms*:
| Running costs of internal legal offices (the Scottish Government Legal Directorate, the Office of Scottish Parliamentary Counsel and the Legal Secretariat to the Lord Advocate):
1 May 2007 to 31 March 2008
| £688,636
| £1,874,959
| £8,245,417
1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009
| £765,656
| £4,078,303
| £9,207,000
1 April 2009 to 30 September 2009
| £234,272
| £2,479,168
| £4,643,500
Total
| £1,688,564
| £8,432,430
| £22,095,917
Note: *This figure includes the cost of services provided by these firms to the Advocate General for Scotland who also makes use of the Scottish Government''s framework contract for procuring legal services.
| Counsels Fees
| Work Outsourced to External Legal Firms
| Running Costs of Internal Legal Offices (the Scottish Government Legal Directorate, the Office of Scottish Parliamentary Counsel and the Legal Secretariat to the Lord Advocate)
1 May 2007 to 31 March 2008
| £688,636
| £1,874,959
| £8,245,417
1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009
| £765,656
| £4,078,303
| £9,207,000
1 April 2009 to 30 September 2009
| £234,272
| £3,428,367
| £4,643,500
Total
| £1,688,564
| £9,381,629
| £22,095,917
The following is the original answer (published on 29 October 2009); see below.
The Scottish Ministerial Code does not preclude ministers from detailing the cost of any legal advice sought since May 2007. Since that date the Scottish Government and its agencies have spent the following sums on legal representation and advice:
| Counsel''s fees:
| Work outsourced to external legal firms*:
| Running costs of internal legal offices (the Scottish Government Legal Directorate, the Office of Scottish Parliamentary Counsel and the Legal Secretariat to the Lord Advocate):
1 May 2007 to 31 March 2008
| £688,636
| £1,874,959
| £8,245,417
1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009
| £765,656
| £4,078,303
| £9,207,000
1 April 2009 to 30 September 2009
| £234,272
| £2,479,168
| £4,643,500
Total
| £1,688,564
| £8,432,430
| £22,095,917
Note: *This figure includes the cost of services provided by these firms to the Advocate General for Scotland who also makes use of the Scottish Government''s framework contract for procuring legal services.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-27915 by reference.