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Legal Services Bill [HL]

My Lords, I confess that I am amazed by the provision that seeks to exclude wills from the provisions of the Bill. Schedule 2(5), part of which the noble Lord’s Amendment No. 48 seeks to leave out, states that: "““““Reserved instrument activities? means … preparing any instrument of transfer or charge for the purposes of the Land Registration Act … or preparing any other instrument relating to real or personal estate for the purposes of the law of England and Wales?." Sub-paragraph (3) states that ““instrument? includes any contract for the disposition of land, "““except a contract to grant a short lease?." So, reserved activities are covered if I want to let a house or some land other than on a short lease, or if I want to give away a bit of my real estate to someone during my lifetime. However, for some extraordinary reason, on my death, when I dispose of all I own and set up some trusts, or something for that purpose, that is not covered. I do not understand how a small transaction inter vivos is caught, but this total disposal of my property on my death is excluded, can be done by anyone and is not an activity governed by the Bill. I look forward to some enlightenment.