Tailored reviews of the Legal Services Board and the Office for Legal Complaints 2016: call for evidence

Overview

As part of the UK government’s requirement to reform public bodies, all government departments must conduct a Tailored Review of their arm’s length bodies at least once in the lifetime of a parliament, every 5 years.

As with all Tailored Reviews, the reviews of the Legal Services Board (LSB) and the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) will examine whether there is a continuing need for the function and form of each organisation.

If it is agreed that either of the organisations be retained, the reviews will look at their capacity for delivering more effectively and efficiently, and will include an assessment of their performance. 

It will also review the control and governance arrangements to make sure they meet the recognised principles of good corporate governance. 

About the LSB and the OLC

The LSB was established under the Legal Services Act 2007 (LSA) to oversee the regulatory functions of the approved regulators, and ensure adherence to the regulatory objectives.

The Act also established a new and independent complaints handling body, the OLC, which administers an ombudsman scheme, known as the Legal Ombudsman, to provide redress regarding service complaints against persons authorised to provide legal services which are regulated (“reserved legal activities”).

The LSB is operationally independent of the government and funded by a levy on the legal profession. Its role is oversight of the legal profession and in carrying out its functions it must promote the regulatory objectives (Part 1 of the LSA).

Its mandate is to ensure that regulation in the legal services sector is carried out in the public interest; and that the interests of consumers are at the heart of the regulatory system. The OLC is also bound by the regulatory objectives set out in section 1 of the LSA.

Full detail of the form and functions of both organisations can be found in the Legal Services Act 2007: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2007/29/contents

Why your views matter

To complete full assessments of both the LSB and OLC, we are inviting contributions from people and organisations that have an involvement with, or interest in, the LSB and/or OLC. 

The responses will be included in the body of evidence used by the review team when making its assessment.

Timeframes

The Tailored Reviews will be carried out by Ministry of Justice officials with input from a Challenge Group at key stages and is expected to take four months. 

Following Ministerial consideration and approval, the conclusions of the review will be published on www.gov.uk/moj

Mae fersiwn Gymraeg o’r ddogfen hon ar gael ar gais.  Cysylltwch os gwelwch yn dda gyda ALBGovernance@justice.gsi.gov.uk