Legal Profession: Regulation
Debate between Lord Goldsmith and Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
My Lords, I am sure that the House is very grateful to the noble Baroness for that explanation. As I said, I do not seek to argue one way or the other. However, I suggest that in any debate on these matters, it is important that the views of both bodies are heard by your Lordships’ House.
Lord Goldsmith
My Lords, in those circumstances, I wonder why my noble friend does not agree that when you have the sort of comment that has come from a regulator—from the noble Baroness, Lady Deech—saying there is a problem, he does not now support a review to see whether there is a problem or not.
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
I am most grateful to my noble and learned friend for that remarkably helpful intervention. We have just had the triennial review by the Ministry of Justice. Another one will take place in three years’ time. The Bar Council has put forward the proposal that there should be post-legislative scrutiny, and again, I have no doubt that your Lordships’ House will want to give that every consideration, because most noble Lords strongly support the concept of post-legislative scrutiny. The question is when it would be best done. I suggest that it might be best done in parallel with the 2015 triennial review, which would allow a little more time for both these bodies to see if they can meet together and work out a more constructive relationship. That ought to be the outcome of both tonight’s debate and discussions between the two bodies.