ABSTRACT
The concept of a professional person and an institutional profession has been continually evolving since the eighteenth century. The place of professionalism and the role of the professional person in a rapidly changing society has been questioned frequently, not only by society in general, but also by the members of the professions. The concerns of society are reflected in the Government’s questioning of the role of the Architects Registration Council of the United Kingdom in the late 1980s and subsequent legislation, leading to the establishment of the Architect’s Registration Board with its lay majority. In the 1980s, many of the professions found themselves under criticism; there was an increasing concern for consumer rights; and the role of the professional bodies as the protectors of the public interest was questioned. An application fee and an annual retention fee are payable for registration, these being set annually by the Board.
