The Scottish Executive under Alex Salmond (for First Minister (TM)) confirmed that Eilish Angiolini has been reappointed as Lord Advocate – the first ever Lord Advocate to be appointed to successive governments of a different political complexion.
The new solicitor general in Scotland is Frank Mulholland QC, currently a “top prosecutor” as chief Procurator Fiscal for Lothian and Borders, having previously been a career fiscal and advocate depute for a time. Once again, the political parties seem to have forgotten one big part of the function of the law officers. They are not there merely to run the criminal prosecution service (which is itself a huge job). The Lord Advocate is also to advise on civil matters, which – funnily enough – occupy the vast majority of government time and work. If the Executive want to do something innovative in this field could I suggest that they appoint a law officer with responsibility for civil matters who can advise on human rights, constitutional law, adminsitrative law, planning, environmental law, education, health law, &c &c, rather than being yet another criminal lawyer – or if this role is to be fulfilled by the head of the solicitors office in the Scottish Executive could they say so, and introduce the (imminently new) holder of this post to the Scottish parliament and the greater public.
V good idea. Set it up as one of those online petitions?