HC Deb 12 February 1996 vol 271 c407W
Mr. Amess

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what recent assessment he has made of the(a) effectiveness, (b) speed of delivery and (c) independence of the Solicitors Complaints Bureau; [13899]

(2) what assessment he has made of the balance between solicitors, officials and lay people on an adjudication committee of the Solicitors Complaints Bureau; and if he will make it his policy to increase the number of lay people. [13892]

Mr. Jonathan Evans

None. These are matters for the Law Society, which has responsibility for maintaining standards of conduct among solicitors.

However, the Government have established the legal services ombudsman to provide an independent check on the complaints handling procedures of the General Council of the Bar and the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, as well as the SCB. Both in his reports in individual cases, and in his annual report to the Lord Chancellor, which is laid before Parliament, the ombudsman highlights areas of concern and makes recommendations to the professional bodies for improvements in their arrangements for investigating complaints.