New book examines `Constitutional Law of Scotland’
Published On Tue 7 Jul 2015 by Roddy Isles
The past twenty years have seen Scotland’s constitutional framework subject to historic change and intense debate. Now a leading academic at the University of Dundee has produced the first complete account of the constitutional law of Scotland since devolution in 1999 - and indeed the Union of 1707.
Professor Alan Page’s book `Constitutional Law of Scotland’ also examines the governance of Scotland as it stands in the wake of last September’s historic referendum on Scottish independence.
Alan Page is Professor of Public Law and Dean of the School of Law at Dundee. He is one of the UK’s leading constitutional lawyers and was a founding member of the Scottish Constitutional Futures Forum.
“The time was clearly right for a new look at Scotland’s constitutional arrangements given what we have seen over the past twenty years or so with devolution and the referendum and its aftermath,” said Professor Page.
“As the referendum debate showed, there remain very active issues around Scotland’s constitutional arrangements. With the implementation of the Smith Commission Report and the creation of what is being billed as 'the strongest devolved government anywhere in the world', Scottish constitutional law is only set to grow in importance."
Publishing as part of the prestigious SULI series, the book provides a complete and authoritative account of Scottish constitutional law, which will be indispensable to lawyers, policy makers and all those with an interest in the governance of Scotland.
A very different book from J D B Mitchell’s predecessor in this series, which was first published fifty years ago, this new title charts the long march to devolved government in Scotland. After examining Scotland’s current constitutional arrangements, as set out in the Scotland Act and the Human Rights Act, it explores the separate Scottish, United Kingdom and European dimensions of the contemporary governance of Scotland.
The book offers the most complete and in-depth treatment of the subject and is an essential tool for solicitors and any others with a professional interest in the governance of Scotland.
The book provides:
- A full analysis of the constitutional framework provided by the Scotland Act and the Human Rights Act, including the changes recommended by the Smith Commission, within which the contemporary governance of Scotland is carried on
- An examination of the institutions of devolved governance – the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish government and the Scottish courts – including legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament and the powers of the Scottish Ministers
- A full account of the devolved government of Scotland, including the part played by local government and public bodies as well as the Scottish government
- An analysis of the checks and balances to which the devolved government of Scotland is subject, including the part played by the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman as well as the courts
- An analysis of the UK and EU as well as the Scottish dimensions of the contemporary governance of Scotland
Constitutional Law of Scotland is published BY Sweet & Maxwell.
Roddy Isles
Head of Press
TEL: 01382 384910
MOBILE: 07800 581902
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk