Clause 3 - Short title and extent
Public Trustee (Liability and Fees) Bill
10:45 am
Mr David Heath (Somerton and Frome, Liberal Democrat)
This is, of course, a technical amendment, and we all understand why it is necessary, but it has a certain resonance in this Bill because it will remove the disclaimer that nothing in the legislation shall impose any charge on the people or on public funds, which is one of the points that I raised on Second Reading. I asked the Minister precisely how the shortfall in funding that has been experienced so far, and which will continue until the matter is rectified, would be made up. I asked whether a cross-subsidy would be introduced to protect the most vulnerable recipients of the service of the Public Trustee at the expense of others who will end up paying more. Given that the explanatory notes set out a time scale in which the shortfall should be made up, it would be extremely helpful to the Committee and
the House if the Minister could make available at least a draft scale of the fees and charges that she is thinking of introducing, because it is by no means clear what they will be.