§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research has been undertaken to assess the impact of the changes proposed in the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill on the viability of legal partnerships in rural areas.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 15 January 1990]: No such research has been commissioned, but two research projects funded by my Department have some relevance. One, which is nearing completion, has examined factors influencing the market for conveyancing services in Scotland with particular emphasis on advertising and fee charging practices. The sample used in the survey was drawn up using the Department of Employment's travel-to-work areas to represent three types of market, namely cities, medium-sized towns, and rural areas plus small towns. The second project, due to start soon, will compare fees charged for conveyancing before and after the abolition of scale fees in 1985. A similar sampling method will be used.