§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy for Queen's Counsel who have not practised at the bar for five years to be examined to establish their fitness to return to practise as a Queen's Counsel; and if he will make a statement. [130629]
§ Mr. LockThe Lord Chancellor recognises the need to ensure that all lawyers are competent to do the job. He has no plans, however, to introduce the policy proposed for QCs, the regulation of whose professional standards is primarily for their professional bodies.