Scottish Public Law Group

Inaugural Public Law Annual Lecture

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:17:25 +0000

The journal Public Law has decided to inaugurate an annual public lecture. The first such lecture will be delivered later this month at the University of Glasgow. The speaker is Professor Kim Lane Scheppele, Director of the Law and Public Affairs Program at Princeton. Her topic is “Global Security Law and the Challenge to Constitutionalism”. Professor Scheppele is one of the leading constitutional lawyers of the world. Her topic could not be more timely (especially given last week’s decision of the UK Supreme Court, and the British Government’s proposal to have its effects reversed through fast-track legislation!). Please do come to this lecture if you can, and please spread the word!

All details on the attached flyer. Feel free to forward and distribute this liberally.

#10321313, v1 _LegalDiv_ – Flyer – WorkSite Acrobat Integration

SPLG – “Bonus Event” – Replacing the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights?

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:20:15 +0000

The SPLG, Faculty of Advocates and JUSTICE are pleased to announce a special joint seminar on “The Future of Convention Rights in Scotland: Public Law after the Human Rights Act?”. The Conservative Party has pledged to repeal the Human Rights Act should it win this year’s general election, and to replace it with a British Bill of Rights. The Labour Government is likewise committed to reviewing the HRA and is in the process of considering whether it should be replaced by a Bill of Rights. This seminar will explore the implications of such moves both generally and, more specifically, from a Scottish public law perspective.

The speakers are Roger Smith, Director of JUSTICE; Stephen O’Rourke, Advocate; Professor Jim Murdoch, School of Law, University of Glasgow; and Katie Ghose, Director of the British Institute of Human Rights.

The seminar will take place on 25 February 2010 from 5.00pm-6.30pm in the Laigh Hall, Parliament House with tea/coffee available from 4.30pm. The seminar will be followed by a drinks reception from 6.30-7.15pm.

This event will count towards your CPD

Details of how to book a place are on the attached flyer. Final Flyer – Bonus Event

SPLG Winter Event – Public Inquiries

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:07:10 +0000

Please note that this event has now reached capacity. The SPLG will now be operating a waiting list for anyone still interested in attending.

The Law Society of Scotland is sponsoring the Winter Seminar of the Scottish Public Law Group. It is an event on Thursday 28 January from 5.30 to 7pm (with tea from 5pm, and drinks from 7 to 7.30pm). The event will be chaired by Lord Cullen of Whitekirk who will also address the outcome of the Fatal Accident Inquiries Review. Richard Keen QC will contribute with a discussion on approaches to inquiry advocacy and his participation in the Diana Inquest and Ann Nelson, Solicitor to the Fingerprint Inquiry, will discuss practical and legal issues arising from the operation of the Inquiries Act 2005.

Details of how to book a place are on the attached flyer. Members who are interested in attending are advised to book early as spaces are limited and the event is open to solicitors, academics, and other public lawyers.

Winter Event – Public Inquiries

JUSTICE issue draft working paper on Devolution and Human Rights

admin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:35:42 +0000

The working paper is intended to be a consultation and views on the document are expressly solicited with JUSTICE’s aim being to prepare a final report next year on the devolution implications of any amendment/repeal to the HRA and/or any Bill of Rights. The full text of the paper can be viewed here.

The SPLG are delighted to announce its Calendar of Events for 2010

admin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:33:06 +0000

The new year will begin with a winter event on Public Inquiries to be chaired by Lord Cullen. This will be hosted by the Law Society of Scotland and will take place on 28 January 2010 with further details to follow within the next couple of weeks. This will be closely followed by a ‘Bonus’ event to be hosted by the Faculty of Advocates on 25 February 2010. The subject will be “Replacing the Human Rights Act with a ‘British’ Bill of Rights” with Roger Smith, Director of JUSTICE already a confirmed speaker. (For more details of JUSTICE’s working paper of devolution and human rights click here JUSTICE Working Paper.) Leaving behind the colder weather, the Spring event will cover “Public aspects of the Prosecution of Crime” with dates and venue to be confirmed. This years SPLG Summer Conference will be hosted by the University of Edinburgh and will include presentations on Human Rights Issues, Title and Interest and 3rd Party Interventions. The Autumn Event will bring 2010 to a close by considering the “Implications of EU Principles for Scots Public Law”. Further details of each event will be available through the website and via email.

Autumn Seminar – Roundtable Discussion on the UK Supreme Court

admin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:27:03 +0000

Please note that the venue for this event has changed as per the attached flyer. The event will now be held at Parliament House, Parliament Square, Edinburgh.

The Faculty of Advocates is sponsoring the Autumn Seminar of the Scottish Public Law Group. It is an event on Friday 9^th October 2009 from 5.30 to 7pm (with tea from 5pm, and drinks from 7 to 7.30pm). It will take the form of a roundtable discussion on the new UK Supreme Court, at the end of the court’s first week in action. There are a number of eminent speakers, including the Hon Lord Rodger of Earlsferry chairing the event, with Lord Hope (Deputy President of the Supreme Court), Professor Brice Dickson (Queen’s University, Belfast), Gerry Moynihan QC (Axiom Advocates) and Professor Neil Walker (Edinburgh University) also speaking.

Updated Flyer

SPLG Annual Conference

admin — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:38:11 +0000

The SPLG held its first annual conference on 15 June 2009 at Glasgow University. The conference featured sessions on recent developments in judicial review in Scotland and elsewhere, and on ongoing and crucially important changes in administrative justice, with presentations from Lord Boyd, former Lord Advocate, Aidan O’Neill QC, Mungo Bovey QC, Professor Alan Page, and the first Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, Alice Brown, as well as many others. Please see the brochure below for further details.

SPLG Summer Conference Brochure

The SPLG would like to thank all of the speakers and chairs for their contributions.

Papers from the conference can be found below:

Presentation by Anna Poole

Presentation by Christine O’Neill

Presentation by Sarah O’Neill

Presentation by Jessica Burns

Presentation by Alan Page

Presentation by Aidan O’Neill

Local Government in Scotland Forum

admin — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:27:12 +0000

The SPLG Spring Seminar was held on 14 May 2009 at Edinburgh University. Professor Stephen Tierney, Professor of Constitutional Theory, University of Edinburgh, chaired the event which focused on the relationships and interaction between local government and the Scottish Government.

John Ewing, Director of Public Service Reform, Scottish Government, provided a valuable overview of Single Outcome Agreements while Martin Booth, COSLA, gave participants an insight into the operation of Shared Services. Andrew Ferguson, Fife Council & Vice-President of SOLAR, concluded the evening’s events with a helpful synopsis of the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 and its application to local and central government.

The SPLG would like to thank all of the speakers for their informative presentations, as well as the University of Edinburgh who kindly hosted and provided refreshments for this seminar

Human Rights Law in Scotland – Minefield to Mainstream?

admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:13:20 +0000

The Scottish Public Law Group Winter Seminar was held on Thursday 29 January 2009 at Faculty Hall, Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow. Aidan O’Neill QC chaired the event and guests were treated to insightful and entertaining presentations from Tony Kelly, Partner, Taylor & Kelly and Alan Miller, Chair, Scottish Commission for Human Rights. This was followed by a lively Q&A section. Topics of discussion included:

What lessons have we learned about litigating human rights in the Scottish courts?
What about the attitude of the appellate courts, particularly the Privy Council, towards the development of human rights principles?
What role will Scotland’s new Human Rights Commission play in the development of human rights law going forward?
How important is the process of ‘mainstreaming’ human rights in the policies and practices of our public authorities?

Power point slides used by Tony Kelly in his presentation will be available in the members area shortly.

The SPLG would like to thank the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow for their support in hosting the event and providing refreshments.

The Scottish Public Law Group was launched in February 2008 as a forum in which academics, advocates, solicitors and government lawyers can meet and discuss matters of topical interest in public law in Scotland. In its first year, it is intended to hold a series of quarterly seminars. These events are free and open to all. Those wishing to attend the Spring Seminar are requested to advise Tracey Pennycuick at tracey.pennycuick@shepwedd.co.uk. Further details of our 2009/10 Programme are available in the “About” section of our website.

Autumn 2008 Seminar – Scotland’s FOI Regime

admin — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:42:39 +0000

The Scottish Public Law Group held its Autumn Seminar on Thursday 18 September 2008 at the Scottish Government’s premises at Victoria Quay, Edinburgh. This was a particularly appropriate time to review the experiences and practice of how FoI is operating in Scotland and beyond as we approach the 4^thanniversary of the commencement of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and following the recent House of Lords decision of Common Services Agency v. Scottish Information Commissioner ([2008] UKHL 47). The event was chaired by Ros McInnes (Solicitor, BBC Scotland) and guests were treated to presentations from Maurice Frankel (Director of the Campaign for Freedom of Information), Alicia McKay (FoI Unit, Scottish Government) and Margaret Keyse (Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner). The interesting and well informed discussion covered various topics including:

Has it lived up to the expectations of campaigners for FoI?
What have been the main areas of contention leading to appeals to the Information Commissioners and what lessons can be learnt from them?
How have public authorities responded to the new FoI regime in the way in which they go about their business?
What is the future for FoI – has it worked or is there a need for change?

Powerpoint presentations of Alicia McKay and Margaret Keyse are available in the Members’ section. The SPLG wishes to extend its thanks to the Scottish Government for hosting the event. Details of the SPLG Winter event will be announced shortly.