The second petition is PE405 from Mr James Duff, which relates to—Interruption. Excuse me, I have misplaced my briefing paper. It is easily done.
Official Report · Committee
Petitions
Complaints against Solicitors (PE405)
Speakers
Choose an MSP to read only their contributions- Christine Grahame SNP 6
- Gordon Jackson Lab 4
- Lord James Douglas-Hamilton Con 1
The record
11 contributionsThe petition relates to the regulation of solicitors. Interruption.
Order. I want to say this for the Official Report. The petition calls for the Scottish Parliament to change the law in order that complaints against solicitors are taken out of the hands of the Law Society of Scotland and placed with an independent body. As members know, we are launching a wide-ranging inquiry into complaints against many operatives in the legal profession. Does the committee wish the petition to become part of that inquiry?Members indicated agreement.
That would make sense. Furthermore, it would be appropriate for members who might, in some people's eyes, be tainted by being members, past members or half-past members of the Law Society of Scotland to declare their membership again.
I am a non-practising Queen's counsel.
How often do we have to declare this?
I do not know, Gordon, but we must take a belt-and-braces approach. I am afraid we have to declare it every time it comes up.
Every time we discuss an issue to do with law?
No—every time we discuss lawyers. The complaints are against lawyers.
Lawyers. I am one. Right.
I no longer practise, although I am registered as a solicitor.
In this meeting
Everything on 21 Nov 2001 →- Scottish Parliament Justice 1 Committee Wednesday 21 November 2001 (Morning) Committee business · 2
- Prisons Committee business · 11
- Item in Private Procedure · 4
- Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1 Bill debate · 285
- Petitions Petitions · 7
- Petitions Petitions · 11
- Marriage (Scotland) Bill Bill debate · 11
The type of each item (debate, statement, questions, members’ business and so on) and the times shown are worked out by this site from headings, the chair’s opening words and the Official Report’s running timestamps. They are not the Parliament’s own classification. Text: the Scottish Parliament Official Report.