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Legal Services Bill [HL]

We have to be careful about the word ““protected””. One critical and important aspect of this measure is to ensure that we have a good provision of services and that we take on board how those services are provided. The noble and learned Lord said earlier today—and I hope that he will not mind my reminding him—that the personal touch can be an important aspect in the provision of services and that perhaps, if one were able to get legal services from a bigger organisation, that might be lost. That is a fair point. It is important to consider what would happen as a consequence of an alternative business structure, taking on board the impact on the locality, rural community or high street. But that does not mean that one always protects what is there, in all circumstances—although I know that that is not what the noble and learned Lord meant at all—because it may be appropriate for things to move on and for new structures to provide better, high-quality services across the board. So it is again a case of weighing up and making sure that in the context of regulatory objectives the alternative business structures will be able to fulfil what is required.