To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many legally aided clinical negligence cases were closed in 2007 which proceeded beyond the investigation stage; and how many of these cases resulted in an award of damages or settlement involving an agreement to pay damages or compensation. (187348)

Figures covering the whole of 2007 will not be available until after the end of the current financial year. However, during 2006-07, 2,415 cases are known to have progressed beyond the investigation stage to the issue of proceedings. These included 300 cases that resulted in an award of damages and 1,240 settled cases that involved an agreement to pay damages or compensation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many legally aided clinical negligence cases were closed in 2007 which did not proceed beyond the investigation stage; and how many of these cases resulted in a settlement involving an agreement to pay damages or compensation. (187349)

Figures covering the whole of 2007 will not be available until after the end of the current financial year. However, during 2006-07, 3,009 cases were closed at the investigation stage, before the issue of proceedings. Of these, 468 cases had resulted in a settlement involving an agreement to pay damages or compensation.