Compensation Bill [HL]

I am very grateful to the noble Baroness. It is interesting that there are differing views about the small claims limit. I must share with the Committee another result of my surfing the Internet. I came across an email from Lawyers 4 Justice. It is headed:"““Thousands of Personal Injury Lawyers face the dole!””" It continues:"““If we’re not careful this could be a very real headline unless we Lawyers join forces and do something to protect ourselves NOW . . . Do you realise that if the DCA get their own way and raise the small claims limit . . . almost 80% of the personal injury market will disappear overnight. Not only that but there is talk of cutting lawyers out of the PI process altogether. Is this really access to justice? Discussions are going on behind closed doors right now and your future is being decided without your involvement. We can’t keep sitting tight lipped and continue to let a few determine the futures of many. What are you doing to protect your own future?””" It is all systems go for lawyers, but not for justice. Not only is this stuff pretty unsubtle and rather distasteful, but it demonstrates that the noble Baroness may be about to become a Joan of Arc for the claimant.