Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many complaints his Department has received about the conduct and quality of solicitors' performance in each of the last 10 years. [42176]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonComplaints made to the Lord Chancellor's Department about solicitors can come up in many different contexts and no information is kept centrally about the number that relate to quality, conduct or any other matters. Concerns raised in correspondence are monitored. The Lord Chancellor's Department is not responsible for handling formal complaints against solicitors. This is the responsibility of the Law Society and its complaints-handling wing, the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors.
Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what action he is taking to measure the performance of and quality of service offered by solicitors. [42175]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe legal profession is self-regulating. The conduct of solicitors is a matter for their professional body, the Law Society. The Office for the Supervision of Solicitors (OSS) is a separate organisation, set up by the Law Society, to handle complaints against its solicitors.
The Lord Chancellor's Department Ministers, among others, are sent the OSS monthly digest of performance.
The OSS is subject to independent scrutiny by the Legal Services Ombudsman, Ms Ann Abraham. The Ombudsman, who is a lay person, may consider complaints about the decisions reached by the OSS and also has the power to investigate the original complaint. The Ombudsman is required to make an annual report to the Lord Chancellor on the discharge of her functions during the year to which the report relates. In her report the Ombudsman will also bring to the attention of the Lord Chancellor any wider concerns she has about the nature and level of complaints against members of the legal profession. A copy of this report is laid before each House of Parliament.