The Scottish Parliament’s Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee has called on the Scottish government to start justifying its use of emergency regulation-making powers and detail why they are being used in each instance. The powers, known as the ‘made affirmative procedure’, al
Search: Scottish syndicate purchased land 1901 for £5000
Scottish government milk and snack funding scheme for nursery children ruled unlawful by Outer House
A 2021 Scottish government scheme providing for the funding of milk and healthy snacks for nursery-age children has been ruled unlawful after a petition for judicial review was brought against it. The School and Nursery Milk Alliance Ltd objected to the funding method of the scheme, asserting that i
The Scottish Prison Service is to publish the results of a review of its transgender prisoner policy later this year. The review was launched last November in response to an increase in the number of trans people in women's prisons.
Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser has raised concerns about the Scottish government's proposed legal reforms, describing them as “out of touch” and “unwarranted”. Mr Fraser, a former solicitor himself, raised the matter at Holyrood during a justice and veterans portfolio
Gender inequality and improving women’s experiences within the justice system will be addressed by a new Scottish government panel. Members will examine the experiences of women as both victims and offenders in a range of settings including policing, community justice, criminal and civil court
Scottish Trans has been given permission to intervene in a case seeking to overturn guidance planned for the next Scottish census in March. The group argues that the change to the guidance would breach trans people’s human rights to dignity and privacy. The guidance is provided for those who n
The Scottish Law Commission has received a reference from the Scottish government on establishing compulsory owners’ associations in tenement properties. The project will consider changes to the law in order to establish compulsory owners’ associations for tenement properties.
The Scottish government's proposed regulatory reform of legal services would remove power from the Court of Session in an "unacceptable interference by the government and parliament with the judiciary", judges have said. In a response to the consultation on Legal Services Regulation Reform, the judi
The Scottish government has been accused of “legalising littering” after a mere 34 of 135,000 reported fly-tipping incidents were sent to prosecutors. Despite incidents being reported in 30 of Scotland's local areas, only eight councils passed cases on to the Crown Office.
New Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) board members Richard McMeeken, John Stevenson and Jean Grier have taken up office. Their appointments are for five years. They replace Kay Springham, Denise Loney, Sara Hesp and Sarah McLuckie who have reached the end of their terms with the SLCC.
Responding to the UK government’s announcement today that it plans to replace the Human Rights Act, five Scottish human rights organisations – Amnesty International Scotland, the Human Rights Consortium Scotland, Just Right Scotland, Making Rights Real, and the Scottish Human Rights Comm
The Scottish Law Commission has published a consultation on the draft Leases (Automatic Continuation etc.) (Scotland) Bill. The commission announced in its tenth programme of law reform that it would examine aspects of the Scots law of leases. The first item to be considered under its overarching pr
A consultation seeking views on Scotland’s 'not proven' verdict and related reforms has opened. The consultation on Scotland’s unique three-verdict system will gather opinions from the public, as well as the legal sector, third sector, and those with direct experience of the justice syst
A new process to investigate prison deaths has been welcomed "in principle" by Justice Secretary Keith Brown. In November 2019, then Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf asked Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland (HMCIPS) to review the response to deaths in pr
The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) has published its annual report, showing strong overall performance. The 2020-21 SLCC annual report covers performance in the July 2020 to June 2021 operating year, and was laid before the Scottish Parliament today, along with the 2020-21 SLCC annual a
