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Legal Services Bill [HL]

I thank the noble Lord. I was saying sotto voce that I was reading the report every other night. I think that I am taking three Bills through your Lordships' House, so it is probably every third night that I get round to reading it. I understand and completely accept the principle behind wanting the supervisory regulator and the approved regulator to work as closely together as possible. I have perhaps greater faith than noble Lords in their ability to develop an appropriate working relationship to provide the right kind of regulatory approach that will help support the objectives behind the legislation. I hope that we will be able to achieve that; I am confident that we will. I am also hopeful that the powers invested in the Legal Services Board will not be used. However, those powers need to exist because we are talking about regulation in the interests of the consumer, the public or the profession—one can argue which one. Parliament’s purpose in looking at this matter is to agree that regulation is appropriate. I was pleased to hear the noble Lord, Lord Thomas of Gresford, say that the body needs to have teeth. Teeth are important, but they should be understood and used appropriately. I gave an example to illustrate why I do not want to constrain the body in the way that the noble Lord has just mentioned, but I have also volunteered to take away for consideration Amendment No. 61. We will have further opportunities in your Lordships' House and beyond to discuss it. Clause 36 agreed to. Clause 37 agreed to. Clause 38 [Appeals against financial penalties]: