HL Deb 27 January 1999 vol 596 cc157-8WA
Lord Mackay of Drumadoon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

(a) In how many sheriff courts in Scotland sheriffs can currently be provided with access to the textbooks, law reports, statutory materials and computer databases necessary to enable them to take into account any judgment, decision, declaration or advisory opinion of the European Court of Human Rights or the European Commission of Human Rights relevant to any decision that may arise in court proceedings as to whether a member of the Scottish Executive has acted or failed to act in a manner incompatible with convention rights, and (b) in respect of each of those sheriff courts in which such facilities do not currently exist, by which dates they will be provided; and [HL513]

(a) In how many court buildings in Scotland in which the High Court of Justiciary customarily sits, High Court judges can currently be provided with access to the textbooks, law reports, statutory materials and computer databases necessary to enable them to take into account any judgment, decision, declaration or advisory opinion of the European Court of Human Rights or the European Commission of Human Rights relevant to any decisions that may arise in court proceedings as to whether a member of the Scottish Executive has acted or failed to act in a manner compatible with convention rights, and (b) in respect of each of those court buildings in which such facilities do not currently exist, by which dates they will be provided. [HL514]

The Lord Advocate (Lord Hardie)

It is for the Judiciary themselves to ensure that they have access to the appropriate books and other materials and case reports necessary to enable them to exercise their functions in relation to cases brought under ECHR legislation as it may apply to the action or inaction of members of the Scottish Executive. The Lord President has already made provision for the appropriate materials in the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary and will consider the needs of the High Court on circuit in the sheriff courts in the light of the bids for materials which have just been submitted by the sheriffs principal. The Government hope to complete the purchase of materials requested by the Judiciary in the course of this current financial year and in any event well before the first cases arise after the establishment of the Scottish Executive.