Welcome to Parliamentary Services
Devolution means that both civil and criminal legislation which can affect your rights and obligations in Scotland can be passed by The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood in Edinburgh.
The areas of legislative competency which have been devolved include economic development, environment, education, family law, health, justice, leisure and tourism, rural affairs and transport.
Subject to the limits of the devolution settlement, The Scottish Parliament is now grappling with one of the issues which Westminster has for generations; namely, finding the appropriate mechanism for authorising the construction, operation and maintenance of infrastructure projects - such as transport schemes.
Traditionally, bills seeking private powers or public works authorisation procedures or ministerial orders have been used for these purposes. The approach adopted thus far since devolution has been the slightly cumbersome one of private bills. The position is currently under review.
What we do...
- Monitor - keep you abreast of developments by monitoring the consultation materials produced by the Scottish Executive and The Scottish Parliament in respect of proposals for new or amending legislation, new bills and orders introduced to The Scottish Parliament and their progress to enactment.
- Advise - provide advice on the terms and potential impact upon you and your interests of proposed or new legislation.
- Represent - respond to consultation (including submitting evidence on your behalf), seek statutory authority or power for your project or alternatively, object on your behalf to authority or power being saught by others.
We have experience in acting for both promoters and objectors. On behalf of objectors, we have secured amendments to bills and separate compromise agreements to protect our clients' interests which would otherwise have been adversely affected.
Legislative proposals raise public and stakeholder relationship issues. We seek to provide rounded and proactive advice with the wider picture very much in mind.
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