I long ago came to the conclusion that the last government did not like solicitors, presumably because we were the point of contact for members of the public who were dissatisfied with the actions of the executive and wished to turn to the judiciary for redress.

During the years of apparent plenty, when money was spent like water, certain solicitors’ fees were frozen, particularly the amounts paid for legal aid work and one item which might appear to be insignificant – namely fees for commissions of oaths.

I appreciate that the present government has a major financial problem on its hands, which accounts for the sorry state of affairs in respect of legal aid.

However, commissioners’ fees are not dependent upon the public purse; though I note that the amounts payable to the court for swearing there were doubled a couple of years ago.

Solicitors’ charges had always marched in step with the court fee; they are set by the Commissioners for Oaths (Fees) Order 1993.

There was, however, no increase in our fees when the fees for swearing an oath at court were doubled. Solicitors’ fees for swearing an oath are a bargain compared with the courts’ fees.

Indeed, I sometimes wonder whether we ought to hang ‘buy one get one free’ signs in our windows, since this is the effect of the present arrangements.

It is quite disruptive to have one’s thought processes interrupted for five or eight minutes to swear an oath – surely it is time our fees were raised at least to the court level.

I cannot think of any trade unions that would tolerate having their members’ earnings left at a level fixed 17 years ago.

RM Napier, Albinson Napier & Co, Warrington