Legal Services Bill [HL]

I endorse and unreservedly support what the noble Lord, Lord Kingsland, has said. I declare an interest as a former Treasurer of the Inner Temple. Having been a Treasurer and a Bencher of that Inn for many years, and having engaged from time to time in the education of students and young barristers, I can attest to the fact that the Inner Temple and the other three Inns do exactly the same work in relation to education, although each of us, rather like schools, is proud of our individuality. The important thing is that we treat education as incredibly important. As the noble Lord, Lord Kingsland, has said, more than £6 million a year is spent from money gathered from members of the Bar in the Inns, and from generous donations from those who have been barristers or judges, to train and teach particularly advocacy to those who will be barristers. We in the Inns consider it to be of the utmost importance that those who will be barristers should be able to provide the best possible service to the public. We are very supportive of continuing training, some of which is done in the Inns and some of which is done at the Bar. The whole purpose of the proposed new clause would fill an undoubted gap in the Bill, which was met by the previous Acts of 1990 and 1999 that the noble Lord, Lord Kingsland, mentioned. If the Government do not put this into the Bill, they will lose something that is of incalculable value to the public. That is the important thing. It is not important to the lawyers; we do not exist just to enjoy ourselves and eat dinners, which we can eat here in the Lords if the House gives us time to do so. The primary importance of the Inns of Court is the education of those who will be in the firing line in the courts, providing the important service that they are peculiarly well trained to provide; that is, to represent the public. I therefore unreservedly support what the noble Lord, Lord Kingsland, said, and would like to hear words of comfort from the Minister.