§ 43. Mr. Dalyellasked the Lord Advocate what recent consultations he has had with the EEC about matter relating to Scottish law.
The Lord AdvocateEarlier this year I had consultations with members of the Court of Justice of the European Communities in Luxembourg concerning the separate nature of Scots law and the Scottish legal system. Since then I have not been personally involved in consultations with the EEC about matters relating to Scots law. However, many proposals which are at present under discussion in the Community have implications for the law of Scotland, and I am kept informed of progress on these matters. Further, as I indicated in an earlier reply, I do my best to make certain that the interests of Scots law are kept prominently in view in all discussions and negotiations in Brussels.
§ 45. Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Lord Advocate what consultations he has had with other European Justice Ministers regarding evolution of common codes of law.
The Lord AdvocateProjects of the kind which the hon. Gentleman has in mind formed part of the agenda of three conferences at which I have been present since I took office. These were the Conference of European Ministers of Justice in Vienna in May 1974—for the major part of which I represented the United Kingdom—the meeting of the Council and Conference of EEC Ministers of Justice in Brussels in November 1974—at which I formed part of the United Kingdom delegation, along with the Lord Chancellor—and an informal meeting of European Ministers of Justice at Obernai in May of this year—which the Attorney-General and I attended. Areas of law in which the prospects for harmonisation were discussed included the law relating to remand in custody and certain aspects of private international law.