This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Lord Advocate Addresses Conference on Scottish Devolution
27/02/1998
The Lord Advocate, the Rt Hon the Lord Hardie QC, today, speaking at a conference Scottish Devolution at Strathclyde University, addressed just what Devolution means for Scots law and Scots lawyers.
He looked at the ways the traditional role of the Law Officers will be affected; the manner in which the independence of the prosecution system will be preserved; the mechanics of passing Scottish legislation; ways in which conflict between the exercise by the new Parliament on the one hand, of its powers of legislation and the framework within which it is entitled to act under the Scotland Bill on the other, will be resolved; and similarly how issues of conflict between Scottish Legislation and European Law will be reconciled. He ended with his views on the changing role of the House of Lords.
In his closing remarks he said: "In 1999, in the words of Clause One of the Bill "There shall be a Scottish Parliament", it will be for the Members of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish people to face that challenge and to show that they can be entrusted to "make the right decisions on their own behalf" - to legislate properly, sensibly, economically and taking full advantage of having a Parliament within their own country to legislate in their own best interests. I am sure that the confidence of the Scottish people will be fully justified and that the Scottish Parliament will lead Scotland strongly into the 21st Century".
BACKGROUND
A full copy of the Lord Advocates speech can be obtained via the Internet or from the Crown Office Press Office.
News Release: 0387/98
February 26, 1998