There are those who have complained about the new Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates for its lack of ‘bite’.

Practically speaking, an advocate would have to be not only incompetent, but doggedly determined to remain so, in order to lose rights of audience under the new rules. Fran Bremner’s letter (8 November) was reassuring. The new system will have a positive effect far more quickly than many of us had expected.

This individual is giving up their practising certificate because they do not want their advocacy to be subject to review. Just the sort of effect that we might have hoped for, but would not have expected. Congratulations to those who conceived of QASA. It is working already.

Alex May, Gloucester