Legal Services Bill [HL]

rose to move, as an amendment to the Motion that this House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 19, at end insert ““but do propose Amendment No. 19A as an amendment to Commons Amendment No. 19””. 19A: Line 5, at end insert ““in particular, the impact of the granting of the licence applied for upon the existing provision of legal services.”””” The noble Lord said: My Lords, we have spent hours debating the impact of alternative business structures on what I have referred to in the past as the high-street solicitor, about whose interests I am very concerned. The alternative business structures are welcomed by large firms of solicitors, which see them rather like private companies listed on the Stock Exchange; they give to the large solicitor firms and to partners in large practices the opportunity to sell out with large advantage to themselves. Of course, when it comes to the countryside and to rural areas, it may very well be that an alternative business structure from some large organisation—in the past we have talked about supermarkets—could put out of business those firms of solicitors that provide a very significant service to their community and are part and parcel of that community. Amendment No. 19A, therefore, is designed to clarify Amendment No. 19, which, of course, we welcome, but the government amendment simply requires the rules to have a provision that the licensing authority will take account of the objective of improving access to justice. That is a very broad statement. In Amendment No. 19A, I am trying to focus on the problem that I have outlined. I hope that some significant words of comfort will come from the Minister, which will be designed to make it absolutely clear what the government amendment is aimed at in particular. It may not be necessary for me to trouble your Lordships further. For the moment, I beg to move. Moved, as an amendment to the Motion that this House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 19, at end insert ““but do propose Amendment No. 19A as an amendment to Commons Amendment No. 19””.—(Lord Thomas of Gresford.)