Clause 95
Legal Services Bill [Lords]
1:30 pm
Bridget Prentice (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Justice; Lewisham East, Labour)
It is not for me to explain to my hon. Friend how the mind of the hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey works. All I can say is that I do not have a figure in mind, for the very reason that my hon. Friend gave: the matter will be looked at over the next few years in consultation with stakeholders, which will, as I said, include consumers. We will consider the benchmarks set in other situations. The board will come to a conclusion, and, as my hon. Friend rightly points out, that will go through the Lord Chancellor. I cannot be more explicit than that.
It is sensible to check financial propriety but, again, there are detailed arrangements that the board and the licensing authorities will want to consider. The decision will be for them.