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Legal Services Bill [HL]

Although I am disappointed at the noble Baroness’s unwillingness to expunge the fine provisions from the Bill, I am heartened by her initial response to our Amendments Nos. 61 and 62. As she is to consider these amendments between now and Report stage, I remind her most respectfully that we are not talking here about the regulation of a private body, but the regulation by one statutory body of another statutory body. The power to fine is normally used against a person in the private sector who has either made a large sum of money in inappropriate circumstances or whose standards of operation fall well below those standards required by the legal framework in which that person operates. Here we have a number of statutory bodies, called approved regulators, all of which are acting in the public interest on a non-profit basis. The concept of fines, if not inappropriate, should at least be dealt with on a very different basis from those normally used by statutory regulators regulating the private sector. I am most grateful to the noble Baroness for her response. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendment No. 62 not moved.] On Question, Whether Clause 36 shall stand part of the Bill?