Dr. Brian Doherty:

In theory it is structured under the Act. This simplifies it to quite an extent because the levy provisions are quite complicated. If the Legal Services Regulatory Authority, LSRA, were to have an increase in complaints, it would lead to an increase in costs which would lead to an increase in the levy. If there is a significant increase in complaints about the legal profession, which the LSRA is statute bound to deal with, it would be reflected in the following year's levy. There is no cap on the levy in the provisions as drafted.