Supreme Court (Hansard, 23 March 2004)

§ Annabelle Ewing
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs which consultees argued against the inclusion of Scottish criminal law appeals within the jurisdiction of the new UK Supreme Court. [162326]

§ Mr. Leslie
The Government published a summary of responses in January 2004. It has also published the full responses given by consultees on the Department for Constitutional Affairs website.
The Government have proposed that Scottish Criminal Law Appeals should not be included within the jurisdiction of the new UK Supreme Court. The majority of consultees agreed. These included the Law Society of Scotland, the Scottish Executive, Professor Hector MacQueen and Lord Mackay of Clashfern.

§ Annabelle Ewing
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment has been made of the possible change in fees in civil cases that may be required following the establishment of the UK Supreme Court in(a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the UK. [162329]

§ Mr. Leslie
The costs of the United Kingdom Supreme Court attributable to civil business will be met by fee recovery in England and Wales; and in Northern Ireland. The Government are working closely with the Scottish Executive to develop an appropriate funding mechanism for Scotland. No detailed assessment can be made of changes in fee levels until a location is chosen for the Supreme Court,

§ Annabelle Ewing
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs when Ministers in the Department last met Scottish Ministers to discuss the proposals for a new UK Supreme Court. [162330]

§ Mr. Leslie
My noble and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor last met the First Minister of Scotland on 20 February 2004 and discussed the proposals for a new UK Supreme Court.

§ Annabelle Ewing
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether Ministers in the Department have met representatives of(a) the Law Society of Scotland, (b) the Faculty of Advocates, (c) the Shrieval Bench, (d) Scottish judges and (e) the Scottish Legal Aid Board to discuss the proposals for a new UK Supreme Court. [162331]

§ Mr. Leslie
Ministers in the Department for Constitutional Affairs have informally met representatives of the Faculty of Advocates and Scottish judges to discuss proposals for a new UK Supreme Court.
There has been an exchange of correspondence with the Law Society of Scotland and this and other organisations responded to the Department's consultation paper on the proposed UK Supreme Court.
There have been no meetings between Department for Constitutional Affairs Ministers and either the Shrieval Bench or the Scottish Legal Aid Board.