§ 35. Mr. GapesTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce measures to reform the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors. [87551]
§ Mr. VazI announced to the House on 22 June 1999, Official Report, column 1018, during Report stage of the Access to Justice Bill, the Government's plans to take powers to establish an office of Legal Services Complaints Commissioner. The Commissioner will have powers to intervene to improve standards of complaints handling by the legal professional bodies. However, we do not propose to appoint a Commissioner, and thereby bring these powers into force, unless and until a professional body is clearly failing to make substantial progress in improving its complaints record.
I am pleased that the Law Society Council approved in principle the recommendations of the Ernst and Young report on the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors at their meeting on 23 June. I believe this is a step in the right direction. I hope the Law Society will be able to put their house in order.