To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how many children’s panel solicitors are registered in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) England; and how many were so registered in each case in each of the last five years. (138994)

The Law Society’s Children Panel is maintained by the Law Society and is independent of Government. I understand that there are 1,617 solicitors currently registered on the Children’s Panel in England and Wales.

The number of solicitors registered on the Children’s Panel for England and Wales in each of the last five years is as follows.

There are 36 solicitors currently registered on the Children’s Panel in Nottinghamshire. However historical data on the different regions are not held.