S.I. 2006/3248, S.I. 2006/3338 and S.I. 2007/286: memorandum from the Scotland Office, Ministry of Justice

Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements) (Specification) (No. 2) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/3248)

Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements) (Specification) (No. 3) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/3338)

Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements) (Specification) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/286)

1.  In its letter of 21 November, the Committee requested a memorandum on the following points:

Why were copies of these instruments not supplied to the Committee at or about the time they were laid before Parliament, and why, despite reminders from the Committee's staff in June and July, were they not supplied until a further reminder was sent in October?

2.  The Department very much regrets and apologises that, for some reason in the printing and delivery process of these 'Privy Council' instruments, copies were not available in its parliamentary branch for submission to the Committee at or about the time they were laid before Parliament. Reminders from the Committee's staff were pursued but, in hindsight, the internal departmental reminders about the Committee's reminders were perhaps not followed up with enough vigour.

  What steps have been or are being taken to avoid the risk of delay being repeated in future?

3.  Following these problems, all elements of the procedures covering printing and delivery of these types of instrument have been checked and tightened up across the Scotland Office, Scottish Executive and Privy Council Office - the three departments involved - to ensure that this does not, and will not, happen again.

Scotland Office, MoJ

27 November 2007