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1240/5(5693)
WRITTEN QUESTION TO H.M. ATTORNEY GENERAL BY DEPUTY P.V.F. LE CLAIRE OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 19th OCTOBER 2010
Question
Further to the response to written question 5596 on 13th September 2010, in relation to Family X', for the year 2010 can H.M. Attorney General state the total paid so far to -
- la w yers external to theLawOfficers'Departmentwhen advising or representing the M inister for Health and SocialServices in children's proceedings
- th e Jerseyfirmswho have been instructed to advise orrepresent the Minister forHealth and Social Services
Was any tendering process utilised before instructing such lawyers?
Answer
The answers below state the total sums paid to the end of September 2010 for work done in 2010.
- The total paid to lawyers externaltotheLaw Officers' Department advising or representing the Minister for Health and SocialServices in public law Children'scaseswas£332,702.
- The total paid to Jersey lawyerswhowere instructed to adviseor represent the Minister for Health and Social Services in public law Children'scaseswas£320,107.
The difference between (a) and (b) (£12,595) was for payments to UK counsel and other specialists in childcare proceedings for advice in particularly complex cases.
There was no tendering process prior to outsourcing this work. The cases in which external lawyers were instructed needed urgent attention to safeguard the interests of vulnerable children in a timescale which did not allow for a process of competitive tendering to be undertaken beforehand. The rates offered were the same as that offered for Crown Advocates which represents a significant saving on the normal charge out rates for most Jersey advocates.
There is now a formal procurement process in hand and expressions of interest to undertake this type of work have been invited from local lawyers. Once the responses have been assessed, then a panel will be established to whom work of this nature can if necessary be allocated.