Statutory Instruments
Legal Services, England And Wales
Made
11th December 2012
Laid before Parliament
17th December 2012
Coming into force
1st February 2013
The Lord Chancellor makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 139(1) of the Legal Services Act 2007(1).
The Office for Legal Complaints has made a recommendation under section 139(2) of that Act.
Before making the recommendation, in accordance with section 139(4), the Office for Legal Complaints published a draft of the proposed recommendation, invited representations regarding that recommendation and considered the representations which were made.
1. This Order may be cited as the Legal Services Act 2007 (Alteration of Limit) Order 2012 and comes into force on 1st February 2013.
2. In section 138(1) of the Legal Services Act 2007 (limitation on value of directions under the ombudsman scheme), for “£30,000” substitute “£50,000”.
Signed by authority of the Lord Chancellor
Helen Grant
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Ministry of Justice
11th December 2012
(This note is not part of the Order)
Part 6 of the Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29) (“the 2007 Act”) establishes the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) and confers a duty on the OLC to administer an ombudsman scheme for the resolution of complaints relating to the activities of authorised persons (as defined by the 2007 Act). The determination of a complaint under the scheme may include a direction that the respondent (among other things) pay compensation, rectify any deficiency arising in connection with the matter or take other action in the interests of the complainant (section 137(2)). Section 138 sets a limit on the value of directions made under section 137(2)(c)-(e). This Order increases that limit from £30,000 to £50,000.
A full impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business and the voluntary sector is available from the Ministry of Justice and is published with the Explanatory Memorandum alongside the instrument on www.legislation.gov.uk.