There are no plans to allow Manx advocates to offer their services on a no-win, no-fee basis.

The controversial practice is allowed in the UK but has led to accusations of ’ambulance-chasing’ being levelled against some lawyers who offer a conditional fee.

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan told the House of Keys contingency fee arrangements - the term used in the Isle of Man - could only be made in accordance with regulations that might be approved ’from time to time’ by the Advocates Act Committee.

He added: ’In practice, this means that in the Isle of Man, advocates may not offer services where a fee is only payable if there is a favourable result.

’There are no plans to allow conditional fee arrangements for legal services at this time.’

Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey) suggested the UK system could open up access to legal services for people who might otherwise not be able to afford it.

A note of warning about following that system was sounded by Tim Baker (Ayre and Michael).

’The use of conditional contingency fees in the UK has led to a very speculative approach on the part of lawyers and a real expansion in terms of cases being taken on, on the basis that the plaintiff has nothing to lose,’ he said.

’Defendants are often put in a position where, commercially, they are faced with a time-consuming and expensive legal battle or effectively giving in to the pressure.’

David Ashford also cautioned against coming up with a cure to problems over to access to justice that might be ’worse than the disease’.