Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Constitutional Affairs – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 18 October 2005.
Bridget Prentice
Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs
2:30,
18 October 2005
My hon. Friend presents a measured and reasonable argument, to which I hope that the Bar will pay heed. Barristers are well paid. Junior barristers are paid, on average, £650 for a one-day trial and £1,300 for a three-day trial. Most people would find that a reasonable remuneration. I agree with him wholeheartedly that the Bar should work with Lord Carter, who will reach his conclusions by the end of January, so that we have a fair, sustainable and stable legal aid procurement system for the future.
Annotations
Richard Craven
Posted on 31 Oct 2005 9:12 am (Report this annotation)
In fact a one day trial is paid as follows:-
Group A (murder)= £740 Group B, C, H or I = £250 Group D = £390 Group F or E = £210 (See Archbold page 943)
This is an all in fee (before overheads) and includes all paperwork and preparation. As junior barristers opertate on about 50% overheads, a one day trial requiring 8 hours preparation, generates a profit £5 per hour!
Is the misinster ill-informed, lying or is it that she meant to increase junior barristers fees by 300%!
The argument on the £46.50 fee is also nonsense. Barristers can only do ten bail applications in a day if: a) The barrister is instructed in ten cases at the same time; b) and all clients are seeking bail; c) and all clients have been committed to the same Court Center; d) and the Court lists the cases on the same day; and e) the List office puts them in the same Court.
In ten years I have had this happen once!