Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the conclusion of the Northern Ireland Department of Justice that legislative protections should be established to ensure that compensation monies paid to minors are protected for their benefit, and (2) the data from the Northern Ireland Compensation Recovery Unit that almost one in four personal injury cases in 2022 involving children did not have a legal representative for the injury party; and what steps they intend to take to ensure that minors in England and Wales involved in compensation cases have their compensation monies protected and receive legal representation.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The administration of justice in Northern Ireland is devolved and a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly. However, the Government notes that the Northern Ireland Department for Justice has proposed changes to strengthen the way that civil claims on behalf of minors are brought. No changes in this area are planned for England and Wales as children are already protected by the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR). Under the CPR a child must have a litigation friend to conduct proceedings unless the court orders otherwise, and settlements must be supported by legal advice as well as approved by the court which will direct how the money is dealt with and make a detailed assessment of legal costs payable.
Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the regulatory regime for solicitors in England and Wales, which permits non-solicitors to invest in solicitors' firms, is beneficial to the investment and growth of the legal sectors, particularly for small firms; and what discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding the regulatory regime for solicitors in this regard.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Central to the liberalisation of the legal services market has been the creation of alternative business structures (ABS) in 2011, which allowed non-lawyers to become part owners of law firms. No specific assessment has been made of the impacts of non-solicitor investment in the legal services market. However, research suggests that ABS firms have benefited the legal services market by enabling external investment and bringing in external business and commercial expertise, and that these new, innovative providers have increased competition in the market.
While we have not made a direct assessment of the economic value of ABS, ONS data shows that legal services turnover has grown from £26 billion in 2011, to £41.6 billion in 2021. The number of ABS licences issued has also grown substantially in recent times, from 812 in 2016 to 1,861 as of the end of 2022.
The regulation of the legal profession, and more broadly legal services policy, is a devolved matter, and as such the UK government does not directly have a position, nor intention to intervene, in the regulation of legal professionals in Northern Ireland or the operation of the legal services framework. However, where possible the UK government does encourage cooperation between the various administrations and the sharing of best practice.
Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the fees set down in (1) the Commissioner for Oaths (Authorised Persons) Fees Order 1993, and (2) the Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles (Prescribed Sums and Charges) Regulations 2008.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
We do not currently have any plans to review the fees set down in the Commissioners for Oaths (Authorised Persons) Fees Order 1993.
On 10 January 2023, the Government published the response to its Review of the Statutory Charges which the police can levy when they have exercised their vehicle recovery powers. We will be introducing an increase of 28% to ensure that the vehicle recovery industry can continue to operate sustainably. This consultation did not cover the way in which the police use their power to order vehicle removal, or the operation of recovery schemes and contracts. These are operational matters for the police and National Highways.