Legal Services Bill [HL]

My Lords, we, too, support the Government’s amendment, although, more generally, we are extremely disappointed by their reaction to other key clauses in the remainder of the Bill. Our original amendment was to link the consumer interest and the public interest simply because we felt that, by aligning the two, the Legal Services Board would be compelled to balance the two fundamental concepts that ought to lie at the root of the Bill. However, I am extremely happy to yield to the greater perspicacity of the noble Lord, Lord Thomas of Gresford. I am not surprised that the Government have been able to concede this point to your Lordships. It would have been extremely difficult for the noble Baroness to refuse to insert in the Bill as one of its objectives that the public interest would be respected. I note that the noble Baroness nods as I speak. Nevertheless, we are of course extremely pleased to see the amendment there.