Schedule 1
Legal Services Bill [Lords]
12:00 pm
Bridget Prentice (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Justice; Lewisham East, Labour)
In all my discussions with the consumer organisations, they have all been absolutely clear that there is a perception that the Lord Chief Justice represents the legal profession. As the hon. Gentleman knows, perception is important in politics, and it is important here. We are setting up an organisation that is supposed to be giving consumers for the first time an independent organisation to look after their interests. If we undermine confidence at this stage, going through the Bill will be a waste of our time. It is important that the appointment is made in an open and transparent way, and is seen by those whom it is meant to protect as having been done properly, in an independent way.