Chamber and committees

Thank you for that. I appreciate the challenge that you have in dealing with the firm, but what you have said is now on the record.

I have been approached by many solicitors from across the country who have expressed their concern and anger at what has happened, because they feel that it has had an adverse effect on the wider sector. Clearly, fees will go up in order to pay for what has happened, but there is also a feeling that the Law Society has not fully explained the process as to why a judicial factor was not appointed at that particular point. However, what you have said is on the record and might or might not appease some of the folk who have expressed their concerns and thoughts to me.

Going back to the 1980 act, the Law Society of Scotland said in its response to both the 2019 Scottish Government consultation and the committee’s call for views that it would like additional powers to deal with “incorporated practices”, and that those powers could be achieved by way of an amendment to the bill. For the benefit of the record, what is the issue arising here, and what powers would the Law Society of Scotland like in order to address it?

The bill is very technical, as is much of the legislation that this committee looks at, and the vast majority of the population might not engage with what happens here. However, now and again, there will be an incident that makes the legislation quite real for many people. One such incident was the collapse of the law firm, McClure Solicitors, and the various issues that have arisen from that. I have taken a great deal of interest in that because the company was based in my constituency. To help the committee to connect the bill to real-life examples, can the Law Society explain why a judicial factor was not appointed to deal with the issues arising from the collapse of McClure’s?

Back to you, Oliver.

Does anyone else want to comment on that?

I have a supplementary question on that point. Have you seen a marked change in the situation in the past 10, 15 or 20 years?

Is there a particular reason that this has happened?

Okay—thank you. I call Tim Eagle.

Yes.

As the panellists have no further comments to put on the record and my colleagues have no final questions, I thank the panel very much for their time this morning. If, after today, there is anything further that you would like to inform the committee of, please do so in writing.

I suspend the session briefly for a change of panel and a very short comfort break.

Would anyone else like to come in?