payments, Health and Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness said yesterday.

He conceded "a number'' of bills which the Legal Aid Committee authorised payment of were discovered unpaid.

But cheques are now on the way to those lawyers owed money, he said. And there has been a shake-up at the Legal Aid office with the resignation and replacement of the secretary.

"The authorised Legal Aid accounts were not being properly processed,'' Mr.

Edness said. "Someone must have known about the money not being paid and not passed it on.

"The Ministry's staff are now providing advice and direction to the office to ensure the problem does not re-occur.'' Mr. Edness said there was no fear that money intended for lawyers had been stolen. He said the Attorney General's Chambers sent cheques directly to law firms.

Two disgruntled lawyers told The Royal Gazette last week their firms were being driven into the red because of the hold-up -- reported to have been as long as 12 months in one case.

Mr. Tim Marshall and Mr. Phil Perinchief said they were seriously considering withdrawing from the Legal Aid system, which helps those who can't afford a lawyer but need one.

Mr. Edness, who was off the Island at the time the lawyers complained, said he was surprised to learn of the problem when he returned last week.

"We had never received any official complaints from lawyers,'' he said. "The first I heard of the problem was in the Press.'' Social Services administers the Legal Aid programme's budget.

Mr. Edness was briefed on the problem by Information Services Minister Sen.

the Hon. Mike Winfield, who was acting Health and Social Services Minister, and launched an investigation.

Sen. Winfield said an "in-depth'' report was due out next week. "Our intent is to fix the situation,'' he said.

The Hon. Quinton Edness.