§ 46. Mr. Canavanasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what subjects he expects to discuss at his next meeting with the Scottish Law Commission.
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandWhile I have no meetings arranged, I expect to meet the Scottish Law Commission from time to time to discuss all aspects of law reform which it is presently considering.
§ Mr. CanavanWill the Solicitor-General ask the commission whether there is any other country in the world which, like Scotland, has its own distinct body of legislation but no distinct legislature to deal with it'? Will the Government take action to rectify this anomaly, especially in view of the fact that, whatever the Prime Minister might claim about having a legal mandate, she has no moral mandate to govern Scotland, having been rejected by over 70 per cent. of the Scottish voters at the recent general election? Is he aware that the majority of Scottish voters voted for candidates who wanted a Scottish assembly?
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandI usually put more coherent questions to the Scottish Law Commission than that which the hon. Gentleman has put to me.
§ Mr. WilsonI congratulate the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor-General on withdrawing certain clauses relating to the admissibility of evidence from the Police and Criminal Evidence Bill. What stage has the Scottish Law Commission reached in re-evaluating the law of evidence in Scotland, and what is the intended parliamentary timetable for the introduction of any fruits of that study?
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandI expect that there will be more than one report on the reform of the law of evidence in Scotland. As the hon. Gentleman will appreciate, the commission is undertaking a large task, but I know that a great deal of work has already been done and I hope that at least one of the reports will shortly he before Parliament.