Legal Services Bill [HL]

I am grateful to the noble Lord. I agree; we need to recognise that it is important to update and streamline the powers of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. Schedule 17 already makes a number of changes to the Administration of Justice Act 1985 and the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990, to ensure that the council is able to operate effectively under the new framework. As the noble Lord has said, Amendments Nos. 151ZB to 151ZD further augment the 1985 and 1990 Acts by restructuring that disciplinary process. We recognise that these amendments may indeed be cost effective, and could ease administrative burdens by allowing those bodies limited autonomy over disciplinary and regulatory matters. We would like to take them away and consider them further with the council. Amendment No. 151ZA amends Section 22 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985, as the noble Lord has said, to allow the council to determine the eligibility requirements of accountants auditing licensed conveyancers. We recognise that the provisions in Section 22 may be perceived as overly prescriptive. Again, we would like to give further consideration to whether or not it will be sufficient for the council to make its own rules, which the board would have to approve, regarding the eligibility of accountants to conduct such audits. I am concerned to ensure that we have fully considered the implications of the amendment, particularly in relation to partnerships, before I go too far in agreeing them. As I have indicated, I would like to talk to the council specifically about that. I hope the noble Lord will allow me to take the amendments away, consider them further and come back on Report.