Chamber and committees

Thank you. That is on the record.

Are you content, Karen?

Brilliant.

This one is probably for Colin Bell. On the back of the previous question, I recall that in your response you indicated that it is not clear how complaints against legal entities will work, because the procedures are based on those for alternative business structures in the Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2010 and they have yet to be tested as no alternative business structures are in operation. Will you expand on that, please?

You have about five minutes.

Can you give an example of such a power?

Okay. If you were directing our thoughts on that, where would you take us?

Are you content with that response, Mr O’Kane?

Are you sure that you do not want to have a go at explaining some of that, Mr Bell? I understand that it is technical, but I suppose the challenge is to make it understandable. Part of our role is to understand, so I will push you a little further.

I thank the panel members for their opening remarks. I hope that we can get underneath the issues in some detail, so, when you are responding to questions, please stick to the question, because my colleagues will come in on other areas.

To start us off, will the witnesses outline their views on arguments that a single independent regulator for the legal profession would be beneficial? Colin, do you have a view on that?

Annie, are you content?