Market Stability Measures
Market Stability Representations
The LSC announced the outcome of the second Market Stability consultation on 5 June 2007. This announcement meant that the current system of allocating duty slots would continue until 30 September 2007.
Providers who changed their business structures relying on earlier LSC policy announcements and believe they have suffered loss as a result, have been asked by the LSC to provide details of both the changes and the losses so that full consideration can be given to such matters in determining the future approach to slot allocation.
Following discussions between the Law Society and the LSC, it has been agreed that the data collection should not be limited and that providers should write in with all circumstances that they feel should be considered as part of this process, and not just where they have made alterations to staffing levels.
Please use the Market Stability Representations Form in Related Documents to submit your data.
Market Stability Measures: Response to the further consultation
We have published a response to our further consultation on market stability measures that closed on 17 May 2007.
You can access our response, and a Regulatory Impact Assessment, under Related Documents.
Additional guidance referred to in the response will be available on this page on Friday 8 June 2007.
Response
You can view our response to the initial consultation under Related Documents.
Please note we have made a correction to the summary section of the paper.
Within it we have considered all feedback received from legal service providers, professional bodies and other interested parties.
Regulatory Impact Assessment
We have now published an additional table to accompany the draft Regulatory Impact Assessment, which can be found under Related Documents. A final RIA will be published in due course.
Background
The consultation was published in response to Lord Carter's recommendations that the LSC introduces measures that mitigate market fragmentation and allow firms to begin the process of restructuring.
The paper developed further the Carter recommendations on Market Stability by providing options for each one. It addressed four recommendations that covered:
- changes to the slot allocation process
- amendments to the duty solicitor service requirements
- amendments to the performance standard requirements stipulated in the General Criminal Contract
- introducing a moratorium on new duty solicitor slots.
The closing date for this consultation was 24 January 2007.
For more information
Please view our current consultations on Very High Cost Cases Panel and Police station reforms.
Last updated: 06 July 2007