LEGAL SERVICES OMBUDSMAN

Early day motion 562, tabled 9 April 2001 by Austin Mitchell (Labour). Signed by 8 members.

That this House deplores the proposed attempt to introduce legislation under the Regulatory Reform Bill to provide the statutorily required, non-legally qualified, Legal Services Ombudsman with authority to delegate the signing of her reports to a solicitor; and notes with concern the absence of the LSO from her office and her inability to sign the document required of her has more to do with the fact that she has been devoting a considerable part of her time to the Neil Committee to which she was appointed in January 2000 and to her work as a non-executive director of the Benefits Agency rather than to the none-too onerous task of giving her statutory signature and attention to the work of the beleaguered Legal Services Ombudsman.

Signatures by party: Labour 6, Labour/Co-operative 1, Liberal Democrat 1.