Legislation / Legal

ScotGov: The Scottish Government has announced that it will work with Conservative MSP Jamie McGrigor to help him introduce a Members bill for a National Register of Tartan. The MSP and the Government will aim to have a Register set up by the spring 2008.
 
In the Parliamentary session 2006/07 Jamie McGrigor MSP tabled a Members' Bill for a publicly funded national register to recognise, classify and authenticate tartans.  This attracted a good level of cross party support and Mr McGrigor agreed to withdraw his Bill on the basis that the previous administration was supportive of his proposal.  In the summer, Minister for Enterprise Jim Mather confirmed the Scottish Government supported the idea.
Press release ~ Scottish Register of Tartan Bill ~ Scottish Enterprise ~ Find a Tartan ~ The Court of the Lord Lyon ~ Scottish History: Tartan ~ Tartans Of Scotland
 
ScotGov: The Scottish Government has published the report of an independent review of the law & practice of disclosure in criminal proceedings in ScotlandThe review was carried out by Lord Coulsfield, the retired High Court judge, on a personal basis and the report contains his own analysis & conclusions.
 
The remit was ‘to review the law and practice of disclosure of evidence and other relevant material in criminal proceedings in Scotland, with a view to making recommendations that will secure a system that is both practical and effective, recognising the rights of the accused, the interests of victims and witnesses and the wider interests of justice’.
 
Lord Coulsfield proposes that there should be legislation, to clarify the legal requirements of disclosure and to establish a mechanism for resolving the conflicts of interest which arise when disclosure of important material might put witnesses or security interests at risk.
Press release ~ Disclosure review report
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