Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010: statement for 2012-13

Scottish Law Commission Return for Financial Year 2012/13

March 2013

Under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 the Commission has, along with other public bodies in Scotland, a duty to publish annual public statements relating to our expenditure in the following areas:  

• Public relations
• Overseas travel
• Hospitality and entertainment
• External consultancy

There are further duties to publish certain information relating to the purchasing of goods, the remuneration of employees and the steps we have taken to improve efficiency, effectiveness and economy in our performance as well as the promotion of sustainable growth 

Our statement covering the financial year 2012-13 (1/4/2012–31/3/2013) is set out below:  

Promotion of sustainable growth through the exercise of our functions 

The Scottish Law Commission has a statutory function: to recommend to Ministers ways of simplifying, updating and improving the law of Scotland.  Most of our work is carried out in accordance with our Programme of Law Reform.  The Programme is prepared following extensive consultation, including discussions with Government. The Programme is submitted to Scottish Ministers for approval, and is laid before the Scottish Parliament. The Commission also from time to time receives references from Ministers to carry out law reform projects. In exercising these functions the Commission seeks to contribute to the promotion of sustainable growth as follows - 

• The Commission's business planning takes account of the Scottish Government's purpose: namely  to focus Government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.
• Our law reform projects contribute to the Government’s strategic objectives: for a Scotland that is in particular Wealthier and Fairer; and Safer and Stronger.
• The law reform projects that the Commission undertakes are designed to contribute to the Scottish Government's National Outcomes, by recommending reforms that will help to provide an improved and modernised legal framework within which these National Outcomes can be pursued.  The Commission's current law reform projects contribute to the following of the Government’s National Outcomes: 

We live in a Scotland that is the most attractive place for doing business in Europe 

We realise our full economic potential with more and better employment opportunities for our people 

We live our lives safe from crime, disorder and danger. 

• Our recent and current law reform projects have the following general purposes: 

Trust law: making Scotland a more attractive place to invest, through civil law reform 

Judicial factors, and review of prescription and title to moveable property: making Scotland a fairer place, through civil law reform 

Review of contract law, and of the law on moveable transactions: making Scotland a more attractive place to contract and to do business, through civil law reform 

Consumer redress for misleading and aggressive practices: making Scotland a fairer place for consumers, through civil law reform 

Insurance law: making Scotland a fairer and more attractive market place, through civil law reform 

Review of the law on similar fact evidence and the Moorov doctrine: making Scotland a safer place to live, through criminal justice reform 

Adults with incapacity: helping to retain quality of life, through civil law reform 

Consolidation of bankruptcy law: providing clearer, more accessible legislation on bankruptcy in Scotland, through civil law reform. 

Improving efficiency, effectiveness and economy in our performance 

In the course of this financial year, the Commission has continued to review our performance in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness and make economies where possible.  Steps taken for this purpose include the following – 

• Review of the provision of a librarian and knowledge management service to the Commission; followed by an agreement with the Scottish Government Legal Directorate on the provision of a shared library service to the Commission by the Scottish Legal Information Centre; resulting in reduced staff costs for the Commission;
• Review of our library stock, subscriptions and expenditure; resulting in a decision to reduce the stock, and rely on online resources; and thereby free up office space for other uses; with cuts in expenditure of about £5,000; and a cautious approach taken to considering new purchases;
• Review of IT expenditure and equipment, releasing further  IT equipment resulting in savings of around £1,000 in our next annual IT service charge;
• Review of travel costs; these costs have been reduced by undertaking certain meetings by video and telephone conference instead of travel to London;
• On staff training, continued reliance for compulsory professional development and for general staff development mainly on free sources of training, for example seminars organised by the Scottish Government or the Government Legal Service for Scotland;
• Review of posts where any vacancies arose; with a view to making efficiencies where appropriate.