To ask the Attorney-General what sums have been paid out in legal aid fees to (a) solicitors and (b) barristers in England and Wales in terms of (i) fees and (ii) disbursements for each year since 1969.

All information available about civil legal aid and legal aid in the magistrates courts is contained in the legal aid annual reports. Total expenditure on solicitors' and counsel's fees and disbursements for criminal legal aid in the higher courts in each year since 1985 is as follows: