LSS president slams Govt over justice forum

LAW Society of Scotland (LSS) president John Elliot criticised the Government for not setting up a civil justice forum north of the border, at the society's AGM this month.

Elliot told the 600 solicitors attending the LSS conference in Glasgow that he had already written to many organisations, inviting them to join the society in a forum which would look at the workings of civil litigation.

Elliot said: "We have asked the Government to set up a civil justice forum... but they will not do so."

The Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, set up a 22-member forum for England and Wales last month to act as his advisor on civil justice issues, with the power to commission research and hold "roadshows" to garner opinion across the country.

The LSS conference also discussed devolution and the Scotland Bill.

Elliot called for the establishment of a "privileges committee" composed of lawyers and lay-people to look into improper conduct by members of the Scottish Parliament, and proposed a code of practice for lobbyists based on the LSS's own code of conduct.