I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together.
Under the terms of settlements reached with the legal representatives of married women who initiated legal proceedings arising from the delay in according them equal treatment under the Equal Treatment Directive, in accordance with normal legal practice in such circumstances, my Department will meet the plaintiffs' legal costs. In the absence of agreement on the amount of legal costs, these costs are adjudicated by the Taxing Master under the normal procedures whereby a solicitor's bill is examined by the Taxing Master who may either allow it or reduce the amount involved. It is open to either party to proceedings to insist that costs be adjudicated by the Taxing Master or on review by the Court.
Particular care is being taken to reduce, as far as possible, my Department's liability for costs in these cases. The costs experts in the Chief State Solicitor's Office, in conjunction with outside costs consultants and the Attorney General's Office, are keeping bills of costs submitted by the solicitors concerned under close review, in particular, with a view to limiting overall exposure to costs. Claims for costs will be met only without recourse to the Taxing Master or the court if the expert advice available to us is to the effect that requesting the Taxing Master or the court to adjudicate would be likely to result in higher expenditure by the Exchequer.