SLCC budget and levy increase “unacceptable” says Law Society president

The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) draft budget for 2017/18, includes a 12.5 per cent rise in the levy paid by Scottish solicitors.

The SLCC justifies the proposed increase on the basis of a rise in complaints and further litigation brought against it by the Law Society.

Its proposed 12.5 per cent rise in the levies paid by members of the legal professions means an increase from £316 to £356 for a solicitor in private practice – and applies to around half of those the levy is paid by. For other groups the rise, in cash terms, is lower. For example, for advocates the rise is £19 and for in-house lawyers £12.

SLCC CEO Neil Stevenson (pictured right) said: “In the face of these pressures our previous approach of reducing our reserves to subsidise the levy can no longer be maintained, and that means in order to continue serving the public properly we have no choice but to increase it.”

But Ms Wiseman said: “At a time when the public sector is facing pressure to control its costs, it is unacceptable for the SLCC to come forward with a such a substantial increase in its budget, a cost which must be funded entirely by the Scottish legal profession.”

She added that there would be “fury” and “an outcry” if a similar rise was proposed in council tax or for train fares

She said: “In bringing forward a 12.5 per cent rise, almost eight times the rate of inflation, the SLCC will face deep anger from a solicitor profession which is becoming increasingly concerned at the way the SLCC is operating. Consumers should also be concerned as it is clients who ultimately pay for the SLCC through solicitors’ fees.

“The SLCC talks of a 12 per cent rise in the complaints it receives but this equates to an extra two to three complaints a week. We find it difficult to understand how this cannot be absorbed in existing budgets. Indeed, the commission’s own figures show that almost two thirds of complaints received are ineligible and do not proceed. Therefore recent increase in complaints cannot be justification for such a significant rise in the SLCC’s charging.”

The Law Society president called on the SLCC to “focus on its core role as a complaints handling body” and said: “Other discretionary activity in its strategy which sits beyond its central role not only adds cost but distracts the SLCC from delivering the improvements it needs to make.

“This is why we will look carefully at its plans for the forthcoming year and consult with our members before responding formally to the consultation.”

Mr Stevenson said: “We ended our most recent financial year on a positive note with many aspects of performance improvements and a much greater understanding among the public of how the SLCC can help them.

“However, complaints have been rising and uncertainty and risk has been created by the recent court ruling. We must focus on efficiency, and this is reflected in our consultation, but legal complaints are often complex, time-consuming, and parties and the courts are rightly demanding of the reasoning and decision making set out in our decisions.”