Legal Services Bill [HL]

rose to move, as an amendment to the Motion that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 79, Amendment No. 79A. The noble Lord said: My Lords, I want to respond to what I think was said in my support, at least I read it as such, by the noble Lord, Lord Anderson, about how long it takes before the taint—I quote him, I do not accept it as a fact—of being a barrister or a solicitor is expunged to convert that professional person into a lay member. I respectfully submit that the period of 10 years that we suggest is quite sufficient. I was trying to think before we started today about an example of someone who we know very well, who qualified as a solicitor but went on to do other things, and whether that person might be suitable to be a member of the Legal Services Board. My analysis settled on the noble Lord, Lord Jones of Birmingham. I am told that the noble Lord started off his professional career as a solicitor, but left it behind long ago for lusher pastures. Do we not think that the offence of being a lawyer has by now been expunged by the noble Lord, Lord Jones of Birmingham; and that he would be a most suitable candidate, if his name was advanced, to be a member of the Legal Services Board? I beg to move. Moved, as an amendment to the Motion that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 79, Amendment No. 79A.—(Lord Kingsland.)