A solicitor MP has called for more lawyers at the Welsh Assembly after discovering major variations in the number of lawyers working in government departments.Plaid Cymru MP Ieuan Wyn Jones asked the ministers of almost every Whitehall department how many lawyers they employed five years ago as against this year.

The most lawyer-heavy departments are defence (159), social security (111), trade and industry (105) and environment, transport and the regions (82).

The leanest department is culture media and sport with five lawyers.The figures revealed an average increase of around 5% across all the departments since 1995.The Welsh Assembly has 28 lawyers.

As it handles 18 policy areas, this is a 'painfully inadequate number', Mr Wyn Jones said.

The shortage would 'lead to a backlog of legislation which will have to be rubber stamped through', he warned.Peter Jones, the Assembly's assistant general counsel, said that while more lawyers would be welcome, there is no backlog of legislation.

Jeremy Fleming