---

Legal Services Bill [HL]

I support the amendment proposed by the noble Lord, Lord Kingsland. It appears a sensible amendment to provide that the professions should have the opportunity to make representations about matters which fall within the ambit of the responsibility of the Legal Services Board. If there are differences of opinion between the bodies—the designated regulators, the approved regulators and the board—there should be complete transparency about those differences, particularly if the differences relate to changes of policy or anything that might be regarded as establishing a norm for the future which would result in, as it were, a legislative role being exercised by the Legal Services Board. It seems clear that no interest is crossed by a requirement of openness, which this amendment would provide, and that it would provide a protection for the smaller bodies whose specialist knowledge may well not be represented directly on the Legal Services Board, and which might pass the notice of, or even possibly not be understood by, the members of the board if these representations are made available and published. It is entirely a matter for the discretion of the approved regulators whether they do so. Generally the measure would be in the interests of consumers as well as of those providing the services because it would bring to bear on particular issues the experience of those who are, at least in some cases, skilled and knowledgeable.