§ Mr. AmessTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he has taken to monitor the work of the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors; and if he will make a statement. [68320]
§ Mr. HoonThe Office for the Supervision of Solicitors is an independent body, and the Government do not have a role in monitoring the work of the Office. However, the Legal Services Ombudsman oversees the handling of complaints against members of the legal profession. She stated in her last annual report that, although the Office
£million Closed case 1997–98 Gross payments Costs received Damages retained Contributions retained Net costs All Personal Injury Litigation 307.7 234.3 6.0 2.3 65.6 Medical Negligence 63.0 32.6 1.3 0.7 28.5 Personal Injury (excl. medical negligence) 224.7 201.7 4.7 1.5 37.1