Chamber and committees

I bring in Annie Wells.

Good morning, and welcome to the 24th meeting in 2023 of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee in session 6. We have received no apologies. We are joined by members who are attending remotely.

Agenda item 1 is our fourth evidence session on the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill. I refer members to papers 1 and 2. I welcome to the meeting Bill Alexander from the Association of Construction Attorneys; Roddy Dunlop KC, who is the dean of the Faculty of Advocates; Morag Ross KC, who is also from the Faculty of Advocates; Rachel Wood, who is the executive director of regulation from the Law Society of Scotland; David Gordon, who is the lay convener of the regulatory committee at the Law Society of Scotland; Darren Murdoch, who is the president of the Scottish Law Agents Society; and Andrew Stevenson, who is secretary of the Scottish Law Agents Society. There were lots of mouthfuls there, but we got through it. It is nice to see you all.

Before I ask you to make some brief opening remarks, I note that, as there are seven of you—we are delighted to have you here—and members have questions for you, I ask our witnesses to be succinct and to answer the questions that have been put. As there are two representatives from some bodies, perhaps only one of you—the most relevant person—should take the question.

I invite witnesses to make brief opening remarks, should they wish to do so. As I said, because we have two representatives from the Faculty of Advocates, the Law Society of Scotland and the Scottish Law Agents Society, I will leave it up to you to decide who offers the opening remarks. That being said, we start with Bill Alexander.

Thank you for that, but the average citizen on the street will find it quite difficult to see the difference between a conflict of interests and a coincidence of interests. How would you reassure them?

Thank you.

Thank you for that. Rachel, did you want to come in on the back of that?

What kind of levers do you mean?

Okay.

Thank you. I will bring in Darren Murdoch.

I am glad that you have brought that issue up again. We have heard representations—indeed, I have had members of the public and constituents speak to me about this—on public trust and faith in a system in which professional bodies investigate their own members’ conduct. It is hard enough for an average citizen to navigate the legal profession as it is, let alone make a complaint against one of its members, and when they do make a complaint, they find that the same professional body is investigating it. I am glad that the issue has been raised again.

I believe that my colleague Karen Adam would like to come in on the theme of complaints.

Thanks, Fulton. We will perhaps not open the question to all seven members of the panel. Is there anybody on the panel who would particularly like to come in on that? Rachel Wood wants to speak. Is there anyone else? Okay, go for it, Rachel.