TheScottish Law Commission (Scottish Gaelic:Coimisean Lagh na h-Alba) is an advisorynon-departmental public body of theScottish Government. It was established in 1965 to keepScots law under review and recommend necessary reforms to improve, simplify and update the country's legal system. It was established by theLaw Commissions Act 1965 (as amended) at the same time as theLaw Commission in England and Wales.[1]
 Scottish Law Commission logo | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1965; 60 years ago (1965) |
| Type | advisory non-departmental public body |
| Jurisdiction | Scotland |
| Headquarters | Parliament House, 11 Parliament Square.EdinburghEH1 1RQ |
| Motto | "Promoting law reform" |
| Minister responsible | |
| Agency executives |
|
| Parent department | Justice Directorate of theScottish Government |
| Key document | |
| Website | www |
| Map | |
 Scotland in the UK and Europe | |
Appointments are ordinarily made in accordance with theCommissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland's Code of Practice.
The commission is part of theCommonwealth Association of Law Reform Agencies.
Functions
editThe Commission exists to keep Scots law under review and recommend reform as needed. The commission's scope encompassesdevolved andreserved matters, as defined by theScotland Act 1998 and as such has a duty for laws that are the responsibility of theParliament of the United Kingdom, as well as those that are the responsibility of theScottish Parliament.[2]
Composition
editThe commission consists of five commissioners appointed by theScottish Ministers.[3] One of the commissioners is the chairman who by convention is aSenator of the College of Justice. The other commissioners are drawn from those holding judicial office,advocates,solicitors or university law teachers. Commissioners are appointed for a maximum term of five years with the possibility of re-appointment. The current commissioners are as follows:
- The Rt HonLady Paton[4] (chair)
- David Bartos[5]
- Professor Gillian Black[6]
- Professor Frankie McCarthy[7]
- Ann Stewart[8]
The commissioners are supported by the interim chief executive of the commission, Mr Charles Garland, and by legal and non-legal staff. All permanent staff are seconded from the Scottish government.
Chairs
editThe past and current chairs are as follows:[9]
- Lord Kilbrandon (1965–1971)
- Lord Hunter (1971–1981)
- Lord Maxwell (1981–1988)
- Lord Davidson (1988–1996)
- Lord Gill (1996–2001)
- Lord Eassie (2002–2006)
- Lord Drummond Young (2007–2011)
- Lady Clark (2012–2013)
- Lord Pentland (2014–2018)
- Lady Paton (2019–present)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Law Commissions Act 1965". Office of Public Sector Information. Retrieved2 October 2009.
- ^"About us: What we do". Scottish Law Commission. Retrieved23 January 2016.
- ^"About us: Who we are". Scottish Law Commission. Retrieved23 January 2016.
- ^Lady Paton appointed as Chair of the Scottish Law Commission, Scottish Law Commission website, 19 Dec 2018.
- ^New Commissioners, Scottish Law Commission, 1 April 2020.
- ^New Commissioners, Scottish Law Commission, 1 April 2020.
- ^"New Commissioner, Scottish Law Commission 17 September 2019".Scottish Law Commission. Retrieved17 September 2019.
- ^"New Commissioner, Scottish Law Commission 15 April 2024".
- ^Lord Hope of Craighead."Do We Still Need a Scottish Law Commission?". Retrieved23 December 2017.
Further reading
editStark, Shona Wilson (2014). "The Longer You Can Look Back, The Further You Can Look Forward: The Origins of the Scottish Law Commission".Edinburgh Law Review.18 (1):59–83.doi:10.3366/elr.2014.0187.
