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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 4 April 2025
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Displaying 1203 contributions

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Economy and Fair Work Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2024-2025

Meeting date: 4 October 2023

Kevin Stewart

This is my final question—it just needs a yes or no response. We realise the constraints in your budgets. We have growing inequalities in society. Will you do all that you can to ensure growth in the more deprived areas of our country and focus on getting rid of those social inequalities? We have heard some examples today.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2024-2025

Meeting date: 4 October 2023

Kevin Stewart

Thank you very much.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 3 October 2023

Kevin Stewart

I told you that I was playing devil’s advocate. As you know from previous encounters, I always do. You paint the scenario of one solicitor not being enough for Edinburgh Women’s Aid. Is there the opportunity between the 34 organisations that you represent to have a pool of people so that there is choice for women who may not want to go to one particular solicitor for whatever reason?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 3 October 2023

Kevin Stewart

I am playing devil’s advocate here and I am thinking of a particular case that I was involved in many, many years ago where an individual thought that a solicitor was being thrust upon them. If a solicitor is associated with a particular charity, how do you deal with situations where some women may not want to use that solicitor? How do you get around that? Does that go back to the 50 calls to get a solicitor or what can we do to build up that trust?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 3 October 2023

Kevin Stewart

It was not at all long-winded. You are right to highlight that what may work in some of the larger cities may not work elsewhere.

I am interested in what you have to say about access to telephone advice. Having experienced cases where some people who I have been dealing with have found it very difficult to access a solicitor at all, having that telephone line as a last resort is probably a good approach. Do you have any examples from anywhere in the country where solicitors have provided telephone services for some of your clients as a last resort?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 3 October 2023

Kevin Stewart

My question is on a separate matter.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 3 October 2023

Kevin Stewart

I have two brief points. I want to go back to Ms Horwitz’s comment on shopping around effectively. We have all had experiences of finding it difficult to find a tariff for certain things, but there are also situations where monopolies exist because of specialism. From a consumer point of view, what does that monopoly situation do to folks who seek advice in specialist areas?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 3 October 2023

Kevin Stewart

I think that that was a missed opportunity. It is grand to ask about the complaints process, but there is often a feeling of distrust in certain organisations as well. It would be interesting to see whether we could access any data on that particular subject. Thank you very much.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Interests

Meeting date: 3 October 2023

Kevin Stewart

I have no relevant interests, convener.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 3 October 2023

Kevin Stewart

I will give an example that goes back a number of years so that we do not identify anyone. False disposition of land does not happen regularly but, when it does, folks are pushed to certain specialists who, basically, can charge what they like, because they are the specialists. Could those monopoly situations be ironed out to a degree with the proposed legislation?