§ Mr. John TownendTo ask the Attorney-General how many complaints have been received about the legal profession from judges, lawyers, members of the public and the lay observer during the past 12 months; and what assessments he has made of the efficiency of the Solicitors Complaints Bureau.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThis information is not available in the form requested. The responsibility for any assessment of the efficiency of the Solicitors Complaints Bureau lies with the Law Society.
The Government responded to disquiet about the handling of complaints about the legal profession by establishing under the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 the office of Legal Services Ombudsman, to be independent of government and the profession, and to have a wider range of powers than the lay observer whom he replaced. The Legal Services Ombudsman will present an annual report to the Lord Chancellor which will be laid before Parliament.