§ 20. Mr. CarmichaelTo ask the Advocate-General what devolution issues have been raised since 26 November 2002. [89155]
The Advocate-General for ScotlandI refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave today to the hon. Lady the Member for the Vale of York (Miss McIntosh),official Report, 7 January 2003, column 10.
§ 22. Ann McKechinTo ask the Advocate-General what devolution issues she has considered since 1 December 2002. [89157]
The Advocate-General for ScotlandSince 1 December 2002, 32 devolution issue cases have been intimated to me, all but one relating to criminal law. All of these have concerned human rights issues, a substantial number concerned undue delay in criminal proceedings, others included cases on the fixing of the punishment part of the sentence of a life prisoner to replace the old system of serving an indeterminate length of sentence and the powers of the Crown to use surveillance tapes from prison visiting rooms as evidence in a trial. The one civil case involved delay in an appeal from the application of a children's panel reporter to the sheriff for an interim exclusion order.