§ Mrs. Winifred Ewingasked the Lord Advocate if he will make a statement on the principles and practice regulating shrieval appointments in Scotland, and list the appointments in each of the last 10 years with the respective dates.
§ Mr. William RossI have been asked to reply as appointments to the shrieval bench are made by Her Majesty on my recommendation.
As is well known, the long-standing practice has been that I act upon a nomination from the Lord Advocate. The qualifications for appointment are laid down in the Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971.
141WThe appointments over the last 10 years have been as follows: —
142W 143W
SHRIEVAL APPOINTMENTS FROM 16TH MAY 1964 TO DATE (EXCLUDING TEMPORARY SHERIFFS AND TRANSFERS BETWEEN SHERIFFDOMS Sheriffdom Sheriff Principal Sheriff Aberdeen, Kincardine and Banff A. J. Mackenzie Stuart, Q.C. … 1st October 1971 — G. S. Gimson, Q.C … 12th June 1972 — M. J. A. Rose, D.F.C … — 1st November 1968 T. M. Croan … — 1st November 1969 A. M. G. Russell, Q.C … — 1st May 1971 Ayr and Bute R. H. McDonald, M.C., Q.C. … 17th January 1966 — D.M.Ross, Q.C … 1st January 1972 — R. Reid, Q.C … 20th February 1973 — J.M.Shaw … — 1st February I960 D. M. K. Grant … — 1st October 1966 Caithness, Sutherland, Orkney and Zetland … F. W. F. O'Brien, Q.C … 1st May 1965 — Dumfries and Galloway A. M. Johnston, Q.C … 4th October 1966 — D. W. R. Brand, Q.C … 17th June 1968 — P. Maxwell, Q.C … 20th July 1970 — I. MacDonald, M.C., Q.C. … 20th February 1973 — J. H. McCluskey, Q.C … 24th December 1973 — W. I. R. Stewart, Q.C … 22nd April 1974 — R. MacDonald … — 22nd March 1965 G. C. Carmichael, Q.C … — 21st September 1969 C. G. B. Nicholson … — 1st April 1970 N. J. G. Ramsay … — 7th January 1971 Fife and Kinross … C. E. Jauncey, Q.C. … 1st October 1971 — G. I. W. Shiach … — 30th October 1972 Inverness, Moray, Nairn and Ross and Cromarty S. O. Kermack … — 1st June 1965 H. Lyons … — 17th January 1966 M. Layden … — 1st May 1971 W. R. M. Murdoch, C.B.E., D.S.C., V.R.D. … — 1st July 1971 S. S. Robinson, M.B.E … — 1st May 1972 Lanark … D. Y. Abbey … — 2nd November 1964 J. V. M. Shields, C.B.E., Q.C. … — 2nd November 1964 P. G. B. McNeill … — 22nd November 1965 N. E. D. Thomson. … — 2nd May 1966 Miss I. L. Sinclair, Q.C … — 24th October 1966 N. D. Macleod … — 21st November 1967 J. J. Maguire … — 9th January 1968 A. R. Mcllwraith … — 18th December 1972 A. A. Bell, Q.C … — 10th September 1973 A. L. Stewart … — 1st October 1973 I. D. Michaela … — 10th December 1973 Lothain and peebles G. P. S. Shaw, Q.C … 1st December 1965 — W. J. Bryden, C.B.E., Q.C … 1st September 1973 — W. Mcllwraith … — 1st October 1966 N. Macvicar … — 1st November 1968 J. A. Dick, M.C., Q.C. … — 1st October 1969 Perth and Angus … G. L. Cox … — 1st October 1968 Renfrew and Argyll J. P. H. Mackay, Q.C. … 12th June 1972 — D. D. T. Reid … — 1st August 1967 W. C. Henderson … — 1st October 1968 H. R. MacLean … — 1st October 1968 Roxburgh, Berwick and Selkirk R. S. Johnston, Q.C. … 30th October 1964 — Hon. H. S. Keith, Q.C. … 20th July 1970 — R. A. Bennett, Q.C. … 1st October 1971 —
Sheriffdom Sheriff Principal Sheriff Stirling, Dunbarton and Clackmannan R. R. Taylor, Q.C Ph.D … … 13th May 1971 — A. B. Wilkinson … … — 1st May 1969 J. C. M. Jardine … … 16th June 1969 — M. Stone … … 1st May 1971 — "Floating" Sheriffs R. D. Ireland, Q.C. … … — 1st February 1972 J. C. Mclnnes … … — 19th July 1973 C. R. Macarthur, Q.C … … — 13th January 1974 I. L. M. Mitchell … … — 11th February 1974
NUMBER OF APPOINTMENTS Year ended Sheriff Principal Sheriff Total 15th May 1965 … … … … 2 3 5 15th May 1966 … … … … 2 5 7 15th May 1967 … … … … 1 3 4 15th May 1968 … … … … 0 3 3 15th May 1969 … … … … 1 6 7 5th May 1970 … … … … 0 5 5 15th May 1971 … … … … 2 3 5 5th May 1972 … … … … 6 3 9 5th May 1973 … … … … 4 2 6 5th May 1974 … … … … 3 6 9