Legal Services Bill [HL]

My Lords, I thank noble Lords for a very interesting debate. I think that it is always open to noble Lords, having heard the Minister, to respond by saying that they do not agree. In fact, that is what I am going to say. I do not agree with the noble Baroness. The reason the Joint Committee took the view it did was because the appointments we are talking about have a closer similarity to the procedures relating to judicial appointments than to the ordinary run-of-the-mill appointments which are made in accordance with the code of practice. Let me say to the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Butler-Sloss, that as the person responsible for introducing the code when I was in the Cabinet, I am pleased with the way in which it has evolved. But the appointments we are talking about here must have independence as a key hallmark. I read out the reference in the code to independent scrutiny. That is the feature I sought to stress and I was a little disappointed with the Minister—she went through merit, equal opportunities, probity, openness and transparency, and proportionality, but did not include independent scrutiny. I think that that is the most important thing of all, which is why I wish to test the opinion of the House. On Question, Whether the said amendment(No. 16) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 98; Not-Contents, 124.