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Complaints Against Soliicitors

EDM number 218 in 1997-98, proposed by Gerry Sutcliffe on 08/07/1997.

That this House notes the continuing high level of public dissatisfaction with the existing system for dealing with complaints against solicitors currently operated by the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors, which is funded and run by solicitors employing non-transparent rules of investigation entwined in cumbersome and time-consuming procedures perpetuating the perception that the complaints system exists to protect solicitors and deny the complainant justice, as further exemplified by the fact that out of some 20,000 complaints a year only around 250, 1.25 per cent., are upheld and that they are limited to derisory levels of compensation; and believes that the establishment of an independent body led by commercially experienced people with powers to investigate complaints against solicitors and to determine and award compensation for financial loss would remedy the continuing imbalance inherent in the present system, restore confidence in the profession and lead to a reduction in the number of complaints, while disciplinary action and all other regulation would remain with the Law Society.

This motion has been signed by a total of 40 MPs.

MPDateConstituencyPartyType
Gerry Sutcliffe08/07/1997Bradford SouthLabourProposed
Bill Michie09/07/1997Sheffield, HeeleyLabourSigned
Harry Barnes09/07/1997North East DerbyshireLabourSigned
Lawrence Cunliffe09/07/1997LeighLabourSigned
John Cummings09/07/1997EasingtonLabourSigned
Jeremy Corbyn09/07/1997Islington NorthLabourSigned
Ronnie Campbell09/07/1997Blyth ValleyLabourSigned
Peter Brand09/07/1997Isle of WightLiberal DemocratSigned
Austin Mitchell09/07/1997Great GrimsbyLabourSigned
John McWilliam09/07/1997BlaydonLabourSigned
Ken Livingstone09/07/1997Brent EastLabourSigned
David Lepper09/07/1997Brighton, PavilionLabour Co-operativeSigned
Helen Jackson09/07/1997Sheffield, HillsboroughLabourSigned
Phil Hope09/07/1997CorbyLabour Co-operativeSigned
Bob Russell09/07/1997ColchesterLiberal DemocratSigned
Ernie Ross09/07/1997Dundee WestLabourSigned
Lawrie Quinn09/07/1997Scarborough & WhitbyLabourSigned
Colin Pickthall09/07/1997West LancashireLabourSigned
Paul Keetch10/07/1997HerefordLiberal DemocratSigned
Bill Etherington10/07/1997Sunderland NorthLabourSigned
Alice Mahon10/07/1997HalifaxLabourSigned
Peter Pike10/07/1997BurnleyLabourSigned
Dennis Skinner10/07/1997BolsoverLabourSigned
Paddy Tipping11/07/1997SherwoodLabourSigned
Vincent Cable14/07/1997TwickenhamLiberal DemocratSigned
Tom Cox14/07/1997TootingLabourSigned
Desmond Turner14/07/1997Brighton, KemptownLabourSigned
Michael Clapham16/07/1997Barnsley West & PenistoneLabourSigned
Tommy Graham17/07/1997West RenfrewshireLabourSigned
Donald Gorrie17/07/1997Edinburgh WestLiberal DemocratSigned
Nigel Jones17/07/1997CheltenhamLiberal DemocratSigned
John McDonnell24/07/1997Hayes & HarlingtonLabourSigned
Tom Brake24/07/1997Carshalton & WallingtonLiberal DemocratSigned
John Gunnell30/07/1997Morley & RothwellLabourSigned
Nick Harvey31/07/1997North DevonLiberal DemocratSigned
Tony McWalter24/11/1997Hemel HempsteadLabour Co-operativeSigned
Maria Eagle27/11/1997Liverpool, GarstonLabourSigned
Diane Abbott27/11/1997Hackney North & Stoke NewingtonLabourSigned
Andy King16/03/1998Rugby & KenilworthLabourSigned
Graham Stringer23/07/1998Manchester, BlackleyLabourSigned

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