§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consideration he has given to the continuing need for a trustee service provided by the Public Trustee, following the establishment of the Public Trust Office as a next steps agency; and if he will make a statement. [13912]
§ Mr. StreeterA review of the trust functions of the Public Trustee has been carried out by a committee which included representatives from the Public Trust Office, the Official Solicitor's Office, the Treasury Solicitor's Office, the Treasury and the Law Commission. The committee examined a number of options and concluded that there was a continuing need for a trustee service provided by the public sector and that the balance of advantage for trust beneficiaries and for the Exchequer lay in maintaining the present arrangements. The committee's report recommended that some aspects of current trust law should be reviewed with the aim of making it easier for people to administer trusts and that the Public Trustee should review the literature describing the trustee service to make it more informative. The Lord Chancellor has accepted the committee's report and conclusions. The Law Commission will be reviewing aspects of trust law in due course as part of its sixth programme of law reform and the Pubic Trustee has already undertaken a review of her literature. Copies of the committee's report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.