General questions regarding number of advocates, cases and costs

AuthorityAttorney General's Chambers
Date received2017-10-30
OutcomeAll information sent
Outcome date2017-10-28
Case ID378934

Summary

A Freedom of Information request sought details on staffing, costs, and case volumes at the Isle of Man Attorney General's Chambers. The authority disclosed specific staff numbers and total budget figures but noted that individual cost breakdowns were unavailable until the end of the financial year.

Key Facts

  • As of October 28, 2017, there were 24 Manx qualified advocates employed by the Chambers.
  • There were 8 other qualified legal officers and 25 non-legal staff employed at the time of the request.
  • The total 2017-18 salary budget for all three staff groups was £4,082,000.
  • The Chambers was defending 20 cases against the Government as of October 28, 2017.
  • The policy regarding cost recovery was updated to apply for costs at the end of every successful prosecution.

Data Disclosed

  • 24
  • 8
  • 25
  • £4,082,000
  • 20
  • £9,036.51
  • 2017-10-28
  • 2017-10-30
  • 1st April – 30th September 2017

Original Request

1. How many Manx qualified advocates are employed by chambers 2. How many other qualified solicitors or barristers employed by chambers 3. How many other staff are employed by Chambers. 4. What is the annual cost of each of the above 3 groups 5. How many cases is the Attorney General Chambers or private practices defending claims brought against Government 6. For what reason does the Chambers not seek to recover their costs when a successful prosecution has been obtained 7. What is the total recovery of costs for the first 6 months of the current finacial year

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Telephone: 01624 685452 ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS Email: foi@gov.im

2ND FLOOR, BELGRAVIA HOUSE 

        CIRCULAR ROAD, DOUGLAS 
                                                                                                                                      ISLE OF MAN       IM1 1AE

FOI Request: IM108548I

REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2015 (“the Act”)

Thank you for your on-line application dated 28 October 2017 requesting the following information:

  1. “How many Manx qualified advocates are employed by chambers
  2. How many other qualified solicitors or barristers employed by chambers
  3. How many other staff are employed by Chambers.
  4. What is the annual cost of each of the above 3 groups
  5. How many cases is the Attorney General Chambers or private practices defending claims brought against Government
  6. For what reason does the Chambers not seek to recover their costs when a successful prosecution has been obtained
  7. What is the total recovery of costs for the first 6 months of the current finacial year”

Response to your request

The answers to your numbered questions are as follows:-

  1. The total number of Manx Advocates employed at the Attorney General’ Chambers as at 28th October 2017 were twenty-four.
  2. The total number of other qualified legal officers employed at the Attorney General’ Chambers as at 28th October 2017 were eight.
  3. The total number of non-legal staff employed at the Attorney General’ Chambers as at 28th October 2017 were twenty-five.
  4. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we do not hold the information that you have requested. The total 2017-18 salary budget for the three groups is £4,082,000. The actual cost attributed to each of the three groups will not be known until after the end of the financial period.
  5. We do not hold the private practice information for this enquiry but the total number of cases that the Attorney General’s Chambers was defending as at 28th October was twenty.
  6. It is now the policy of the Attorney General’s Chambers to make an application for costs at the end of every successful prosecution.
  7. The total amount of Court Ordered Costs received in the period 1st April – 30th September 2017 was £9,036.51

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your Freedom of Information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to the FOI Co-ordinator, Cabinet Office, Government Office, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3PN. An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website www.gov.im/foireview , a paper copy can be requested by contacting the Cabinet Office direct.

Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to apply for a review of decisions by the Information Commissioner, for a decision on;

1) Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Act; or

2) Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.

In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.

More detailed information on your rights to review is on the Information Commissioner’s website at: https://www.inforights.im/

Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Further information about Freedom of Information requests can be found at: www.gov.im/foi