Compensation Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 39:"Page 2, line 41, at end insert—" ““(   )   is competent to ensure that the standards of competence and professional conduct among authorised persons who are regulated by the Regulator are sufficient to secure adequate protection for consumers, and that the claims management services provided by such persons are provided both economically and efficiently,”” The noble Lord said: Amendment No. 39 has been proposed by the Law Society, and it is based on the wording taken from the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990, when that Act was setting up the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. The Bill does not state clearly the purpose of the regulation. Clause 3(2)(c) gives some guidance, as it refers to ensuring that arrangements are made for the protection of persons using regulated claims management services. It does not indicate, as I believe it should, that protection of consumers is the primary purpose of the legislation and that everything else is secondary to that. The amendment would do just that. It would be of guidance to the courts and to others who will read this Bill when it becomes an Act to know the fundamental purpose behind it. The fundamental purpose is to ensure that, as Amendment No. 39 proposes, there is protection for consumers from rogue claim management service providers. It is a short amendment and therefore I have made a short speech in support of it. I beg to move.