To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the efficiency of the county court system.

Most areas of county court work are subject to targets which are regularly monitored. The Government are seeking to continue to streamline the work of the county courts through a programme of procedural improvements and the introduction of computer technology.

To ask the Attorney-General how much has been spent on legal aid fees in cases before the county court since 1980.

Between April 1980 and March 1991, £1·038 billion of gross payments were made in respect of legal aid work carried out in county court cases. Information of expenditure in each financial year is contained in the legal aid annual reports which are laid before Parliament each year and are available in the Library of the House.