Commentary on Sections Part 2 – Regulation of Licensed Legal Services Ceasing to regulate Section 41 – Transfer arrangementsSection 42 – Extra arrangements
87.These sections cover the situation whereby licensed providers may be forced to transfer from one approved regulator to another approved regulator. For example, this would occur if an approved regulator surrendered its authorisation or had its authorisation rescinded, or amended an authorisation so it was no longer regulating particular categories of licensed provider or legal services. In such circumstances, the approved regulator must inform its licensed providers of the situation, and notify those which will have to transfer to another approved regulator (section 41(2) and (3)).
88.Subsections (4) and (5) of section 41 set out the process and timescales involved in moving from one approved regulator to another. The changeover period refers to the period of time during which a licensed provider which has been forced to transfer may continue to operate according to the regulatory scheme of its previous regulator, whilst being regulated by the new regulator. There is a requirement on the licensed provider to comply with the new regulator’s rules within the 6-month changeover period.
89.For example, suppose an approved regulator “X” notifies a licensed provider that it is ceasing to exist as an approved regulator, and that a transfer is therefore necessary. The licensed provider would identify a new approved regulator “Y”, and arrange to transfer to it within 28 days (or as soon as was practicable). Starting from the date on which Y took over responsibility for regulating the licensed provider in question, it would have 6 months in which to adopt Y’s regulatory scheme. During the 6-month “changeover” period, the licensed provider is free to continue to comply with only X’s regulatory scheme, but on the day that the changeover period is completed, it must comply fully with Y’s scheme.
90.This process requires the new approved regulator to regulate the licensed provider using the previous approved regulator’s regulatory scheme for the duration of the changeover period.
91.Section 42 gives the Scottish Ministers the power to make regulations relating to transfer arrangements.
92.This power can be used to address any unforeseen circumstances which might occur in the transfer process described in section 41. However, regulations may be used in two particular cases, described in subsection (2).
93.The first of these (subsection (2)(a)) is where a licensed provider has not transferred to a new approved regulator despite being required so to do. In this case, the Scottish Ministers can arrange for the licensed provider in question to be regulated by an approved regulator of their choice (subject to that approved regulator’s consent). This may be necessary to ensure continuity of regulation where a licensed provider has failed, for whatever reason, to identify a new regulator within a reasonable time.
94.The second case (subsection (2)(b)) is where there is a need to recover fees paid to the former approved regulator, in relation to the current licence of the licensed provider. This may be necessary where, for example, a licensed provider is forced to move to a new regulator whilst having paid an annual fee to its former regulator less than 12 months previously and is unable to recover the outstanding portion of the fee.