Legislation / Legal
ScotGov: The prospect of extending the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act to cover more organisations carrying out certain public functions has been raised. As a first step, Parliamentary Business Minister, Mr Crawford, will have discussions with interested parties about bringing within the scope of the Act the following organisations:
* Registered social landlords
* Contractors who provide public services that are a function of a public authority (for example, contractors providing prison services)
* Local authority trusts or bodies set up by local authorities (for example, bodies set up by local authorities as limited companies to run leisure facilities)
Press release ~ Freedom of Information - The Scottish Government's Six Principles ~ Scottish Information Commissioner - FOI ~ SIC – FOI law ~
BERR: New ‘doorstep selling’ regulations to protect people when they buy products and services from traders at home have been approved by Parliament. The new rules, which come into force on 1 October 2008, give people a legal right of seven days in which they can change their mind - Previously, people only had these cancellation rights if a trader's visit was not pre-arranged.
The Government will be writing to companies soon to raise awareness of the new rules and businesses will need to make changes to their sales contracts to comply with the law. Companies that fail to comply with the regulations would not be able to enforce their contracts.
Press release ~ BERR – Doorstep selling ~
MoJ: Witnesses who fear for their safety will continue to be given every possible protection, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said as he presented emergency legislation to Parliament last week. The Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill is intended to restore a trial judge's power to grant a witness anonymity order, after the House of Lords ruled that legislation was needed to allow the practice to continue.
The Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity Bill) will:
* Clarify the circumstances in which a witness anonymity order can be given to granted
* Set out the procedure for courts to follow in ongoing trials which involve testimony by anonymous witnesses
* Ensure that those convicted on the basis of anonymous evidence cannot have their conviction quashed solely on the grounds that anonymity was granted
ScotGov: A new offence of introducing live fish or live spawn of fish to inland waters without the proper permission has been created and will come into force on 1 August 2008. The appropriate authorities will have to be satisfied that there is an acceptable case for stocking fish which will not threaten native Scottish species, before permission is granted – See ‘Other News’ for more information.
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