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Legal Services Bill [HL]

The regulator and the supervisory regulator may both believe that they are acting in the public interest and come to contrary views. The problem arises when one body fines another body such a substantial amount that it eventually falls on the consumer, as the noble Lord, Lord Whitty, said. That may not be a very happy situation, which is why I suggested when we were discussing the previous amendment that the fining power—I agree that the regulatory body must have some teeth—should be seen as a matter of last resort. I shall not develop the matter further. I shall wait to hear what the Minister thinks after reading, bi-nightly, the report.