HL Deb 02 May 1995 vol 563 cc1355-6

24 Clause 34, page 16, line 17, leave out from beginning to "after" in line 18 and insert: .—( ) Section 22 of the Solicitors Act 1974 (unqualified person not to prepare certain instruments) shall be amended as follows. ( ) In subsection (2),".

25 Page 16, line 20, leave out from "any" to "drawing" in line 21 and insert "accredited person".

26 Page 16, line 28, at end insert: ((In subsection (3A), immediately before the definition of 'registered trade mark agent' there shall be inserted— accredited person" means any person who is—

  1. (a) a Full Member of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers,
  2. (b) an Associate or Fellow of the Incorporated Society of Valuers and Auctioneers, or
  3. (c) an Associate or Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors:'.".

Earl Howe

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 24 to 26 en bloc.

This group of three government amendments responds to points made by the noble Lord, Lord Gallacher, at the Third Reading of the Bill. Noble Lords may recollect that at that time we had not completed consultations with the CAAV and ISVA about possible further amendments to the Solicitors Act. I am pleased to confirm that appropriately qualified members of the CAAV and ISVA, as well as the RICS, will be able to draw up tenancy agreements of more than three years' duration.

Moved, that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 24 to 26 en bloc.—(Earl Howe.)

Lord Carter

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister. This was a point that we pressed and which the Government said they would take away. The Minister will know that the amendment has met with considerable agreement among the members of the organisations which are mentioned.

As we approach the end of the Commons amendments, I wonder when there will be a concession in response to an amendment that I moved. So far every concession has been in respect of an amendment moved by my noble friend Lord Gallacher. That draws attention to his considerable powers of persuasion.

Lord Stanley of Alderley

My Lords, I hope that members of those organisations will he properly qualified. I was anxious about that aspect of the amendment. It will not be the most simple of jobs to draw up these agreements.

Earl Howe

My Lords, perhaps I may respond to the point raised by my noble friend Lord Stanley. The CAAV and the ISVA have provided full details of their examinations and internal professional standards. Both bodies require practitioners to have professional indemnity insurance. I emphasise that this provision will apply to appropriately qualified members of those bodies. We feel that there is no good reason to restrict the scope of the amendment to the Solicitors Act in favour solely of RICS members.

On Question, Motion agreed to.