Chamber and committees

Act of Sederunt (Summary Applications, Statutory Applications and Appeals etc Rules 1999 and Sheriff Appeal Court Rules Amendment) (Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019) 2021 (SSI 2021/452)

Letter from the Convener to the Minister for Parliamentary Business, 25 February 2022

Dear George

Thank you for your letter of 19 January 2022 in relation to the Act of Sederunt (Summary Applications, Statutory Applications and Appeals etc Rules 1999 and Sheriff Appeal Court Rules Amendment) (Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019) 2021 (SSI 2021/452). 

You will also recall that I wrote to the Lord President in relation to the background to the instrument. I have also received Lord Carloway’s response dated 20 January 2022.

In your letter of 19 January, you indicate that the Scottish Government officials had been in regular contact with the Scottish Civil Justice Council secretariat since autumn 2019 and that officials remained in regular contact with them regarding an expected commencement date of autumn 2021. As you will see from the correspondence from the Lord President, it outlines his office’s understanding of the situation.

For clarity, the Committee would be grateful for your thoughts on the Lord President’s response and whether you intend to make any changes to how Scottish Government officials communicate with the Scottish Civil Justice Council and the Lord President’s Private Office in relation to any future legislative changes. 

I would be grateful for a response by Wednesday 16 March 2022.

Yours sincerely

Stuart McMillan MSP

Convener of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee