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Legal Services Bill [HL]

Let me be clear about the Government’s position. I think that I mentioned the consumer lobby on only three occasions today, although it may feel like more to the noble Lord. In the main, my references concerned the consumer panel. I hope that noble Lords will not mind my saying that I am also aware that, save for the presence of my noble friend Lord Whitty, rather a large number of lawyers are involved in our debates. Although I am not suggesting that noble Lords do not have consumers very firmly in their minds, none the less it is important that we remind ourselves of the greater generality. Whatever the views of the consumer groups, the purpose of the legislation is to look for a good and proper form of regulatory regime that will give everyone—the professions, regulators and consumers—confidence in the system. I am entirely balanced in my view in this regard and I reflect the Government’s balance. Sometimes in our debates I feel as though I am listening to a legal lobby and sometimes as though I am listening to a consumer lobby, and sometimes the noble Lord, Lord Kingsland, thinks that I am more attuned to the consumer lobby than I am to any other. The purpose of our Committee stage is to enable us to reflect on all these different aspects and to end up with a Bill that is in good heart and fit for purpose, and I find our debates extremely interesting. The Government accept that there is a strong, important and critical role for the approved regulator. My noble friend Lord Whitty is absolutely right to say that we would not expect the Legal Services Board to act very often but, when it does, we would expect it to act properly.