The First Minister:

I am hopeful that the SLCC will be appropriately funded, and I will come to that point shortly.

I am aware of the matter and I appreciate, as Stuart McMillan rightly noted, the distress that it continues to cause. I cannot comment on individual cases, but the Scottish Government has taken proactive steps to militate against such a situation happening in the future. Stuart McMillan is right to mention the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill, which introduces authorisation of legal businesses, bringing benefits such as greater consistency in regulating legal firms and enabling the regulator to identify and address deficiencies early doors.

I understand the concerns that Stuart McMillan raises. The SLCC is funded through a levy paid by legal professionals in Scotland. The SLCC is required to forecast trends in complaints when considering its budget in order to set the levy, so any proposed levy takes into account the consideration of potential increases in complaints, such as complaints relating to the matter that has been raised.