(618)  CIVIL APPEALS (SCOTLAND) BILL INCOMPETENT

CIVIL APPEALS (SCOTLAND) BILL INCOMPETENT

The Civil Appeals (Scotland) Bill, which would have abolished the appeal to the House of Lords in civil cases and replaced it with an entirely Scottish-based civil appeals committee in the Court of Session (see No 609), fell on 20 December 2006 when the Presiding Officer declared the Bill to be beyond the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament, on the ground that its subject matter related to the Constitution.  The Justice 2 Committee thereupon recommended by a majority that the Bill be rejected, which it was by a majority of 75 to 36.  The debate produced some interesting comments, not least the following from the Bill’s sponsor, Adam Ingram (SNP): My view is that the legal advice given to the Presiding Officer could have been