NHS Redress Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 48:"Page 4, line 13, leave out subsection (2)." The noble Earl said: In moving Amendment No. 48, I shall speak also to Amendment No. 49. They are probing amendments. It would be helpful to hear from the Minister who the specified person is who will be charged with providing a list of providers of legal advice. The obvious candidate, which is why I put it in the amendment, would be a recognised body such as the Law Society, but there are other options. I understand that there are two recognised lists or specialist panels of clinical negligence solicitors. One is administered by the Law Society and the other by Actions for Victims of Medical Accidents. I understand that another possibility being considered by the Government is the Legal Services Commission. I do not necessarily disagree with that idea, but if the LSC is the frontrunner, perhaps the Minister could tell us why. Furthermore, the list of authorised providers needs to be drawn up in a sensible way. It would be helpful if once again the Minister could confirm that it is the Government’s intention that approved providers of advice will have at least a minimum standard of experience and expertise in this field of law. The Legal Services Commission runs a scheme knows as ““Quality Mark””. Is it the intention to restrict the list of approved providers to firms which have achieved quality mark status? I beg to move.