§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is taking to ensure that practice rule 15 does not prevent the Solicitors Complaints Bureau from investigating a serious complaint.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe Law Society's statutory powers to deal with complaints about solicitors have been delegated to the Solicitors Complaints Bureau. The legal services ombudsman has paid particular attention to the application of practice rule 15 by the SCB and in his third annual report he warned that many complaints could only be dealt with effectively if investigated by the SCB. The SCB has a statutory duty to have regard to the recommendations of the ombudsman.