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Proceeding contribution from Lord Kingsland (Conservative) in the House of Lords on Monday, 22 January 2007. It occurred during Committee of the Whole House (HL) and Debate on bill on Legal Services Bill [HL].


Legal Services Bill [HL]

I am grateful to the noble Baroness for her reply. As far as the parallels with the Financial Services Authority are concerned, the authority also has a balancing practitioner panel which, as drafted, the Legal Services Bill does not. With respect, I do not think that that parallel ought necessarily to apply to this legislation. I can, of course, see the usefulness of the terms of appointment and, indeed, any other matters that relate to the selection of the Consumer Panel being dealt with in detail in the annual report. However, that report will be produced after the appointments are made. My concern is the ex ante position. How will the board go about selecting the members of the panel? I am not quite sure that I fully understood what the Minister said in that respect. I think that she said that the terms relating to public appointments would normally apply and that she was not prepared to place them in the Bill because, plausibly, the details are changed from time to time and if they are enshrined in the Bill they can quickly become out of date. I accept that argument. My concern is not with the details but with the principle that selection conforms to the normal standards. However, I want to be a little clearer than the Minister left me over the question of public advertisement. Is she saying that public advertisement for the Consumer Panel as described in the Bill is desirable?


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
688 c926-7 
Session
2006-07
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Consumers Appeals Competition Legal profession Fees and charges Education Law Society Public appointments Patents Standards Training Regulation Solicitors Trade marks Wills Legal Services Board Legal Services Consumer Panel
Legislation
Legal Services Bill (HL) 2006-07
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk