EVIDENCE, M’LORD: Scotland's top judge complains Holyrood judicial transparency probe prevents him recruiting judges - refuses Justice Committee invitation to give evidence in cross-party backed Eight year register of judges' interests investigation

Lord Carloway refused to meet MSPs. SCOTLAND'S top judge - Lord Carloway - has refused to appear before the Scottish Parliament's Justice Committee to give evidence on proposals to create a register of judges' interests contained in a cross party backed petition - Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary

Papers published late yesterday by the Scottish Parliament for next Tuesday's 19 November 2019 meeting to discuss the petition, state the following: "The Committee also invited the Lord President of the Court of Session, Rt Hon Lord Carloway to give oral evidence on the petition. Lord Carloway declined the invitation, setting out his reasons in a letter to the Committee on 23 August 2019."

Lord Carloway's letter to Margaret Mitchell MSP - Convener of the Justice Committee - dated 23 August 2019 – only published late this week, states "There would, however, appear to be little that could be said in any further session that does not simply go over ground that has already been covered extensively. It would not, I suggest, be the most fruitful use of the Committee's valuable time."

Lord Carloway – real name Colin John Maclean Sutherland – who earns over £220K a year - also complains in the letter to the Justice Committee - that raising the issue of judicial transparency & accountability right now is hampering his ability to recruit judges for well salaried judicial jobs which come with perks, international travel, speaking events, hospitality and gold plated pensions.

Carloway ended his letter to Margaret Mitchell with a barbed comment against the Committee’s proceedings: “We will then be well placed to determine how best to progress this matter which, unfortunately, has been aired at a time when I am attempting to encourage our most senior lawyers to apply for office of judge of the Court of Session and High Court.”

However, documents obtained via Freedom of Information legislation - SCTS Board members shareholdings - and from the Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service (SCTS) Annual Report - SCTS Board register of interests - reveal Lord Carloway and other members of the judiciary are already required to declare some interests in the SCTS Board which runs Scotland’s courts – reported in further detail here: FACULTY LORD: 'Abbotsford Art & Faculty of Advocates trustee' declaration of globetrotting £223K a year anti-transparency top judge Lord Carloway, with 20 years on the judicial bench – calls into question scrutiny of Court quango interests register

While Lord Carloway will not be present at next Tuesday’s evidence session, Justice Committee MSPs will take further evidence from Scotland’s first Judicial Complaints Reviewer– Moi Ali – who has consistently backed calls for the creation of a register of judges’ interests for all members of Scotland’s judiciary.

Lord Carloway's refusal to attend the Justice Committee marks the third refusal of a sitting Lord President to give evidence on Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary – which calls for the creation of a publicly available register of judicial interests – containing information on judges’ backgrounds, figures relating to personal wealth, undeclared earnings, business & family connections inside & outside of the legal profession, membership of organisations, property and land, offshore investments, hospitality, details on recusals and other information routinely lodged in registers of interest across all walks of public life in the UK and around the world.

Previous refusals to give evidence on the judicial transparency proposal - saw Lord Carloway's predecessor – Lord Brian Gill - twice refuse invitations to give evidence to the Public Petitions Committee,

Only upon retiring from the office of Lord President in May 2015, did Brian Gill later accept an invitation to appear before MSPs in November 2015, during which Brian Gill's angry responses to questions from Public Petitions Committee MSPs ended up being dubbed "passive aggression" by the then Committee Convener – Michael McMahon.

Lord Carloway's letter to Margaret Mitchell MSP, Convener of the Justice Committee, in full:

I refer to your invitation of 25 June to give evidence to the Committee in relation to the proposal for a judicial register of interests. This is a matter that has been the subject of parliamentary consideration for number of years, with the petition being lodged in 2012. Since then there have been a number of exchanges between the Petitions Committee and both my predecessor, Lord Gill, and myself. Both Lord Gill and I have given oral evidence to the Petitions Committee on this matter. For your convenience, I attach copies of the letters that Lord Gill and I have sent to the Petitions Committee, and also the transcripts of our oral evidence.

I appreciate that your Committee is constituted differently from the Petitions Committee, and that the topic may therefore be comparatively new to its members. There would, however, appear to be little that could be said in any further session that does not simply go over ground that has already been covered extensively. It would not, I suggest, be the most fruitful use of the Committee's valuable time.

If, however, after consideration of everything that has gone before, it emerges that there are new substantive issues, I would be happy to address them. I would be grateful if you could write to me setting out any new issues that have been identified. We will then be well placed to determine how best to progress this matter which, unfortunately, has been aired at a time when I am attempting to encourage our most senior lawyers to apply for office of judge of the Court of Session and High Court.

This is not the first time Lord Carloway has declined to attend the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee to give evidence.

In 2016, Lord Carloway was accused of stifling a Justice Committee inquiry into the Lord Advocate and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service by refusing an invitation to give evidence to MSPs.

The Herald newspaper reported Lord President, Lord Carloway, wrote to every level of the judiciary telling them he has refused to give evidence to the Justice Committee’s explosive probe into the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) – with a clear hint the Lord President’s letter was to discourage others from attending the Justice Committee’s investigation of Scotland’s prosecution service.

He said the Scottish Courts service as an institution should give evidence to the committee, rather than individual members of the judiciary, even retired ones.

After the intervention, the SJA pulled out of its scheduled appearance at today’s committee.

The behind-the-scenes activity is understood to have troubled the committee’s convener, Conservative MSP Margaret Mitchell, who at the weekend told a meeting of JPs she would be concerned if there was a perception that freedom of speech was being restricted.

Opposition parties are also privately uneasy about a possible 'chilling effect'.

Moi Ali – who served as Scotland’s first Judicial Complaints Reviewer (JCR) - appeared before the Public Petitions Committee in a hard hitting evidence session during September 2013,and gave her backing to the proposals calling for the creation of a register of judicial interests.– reported here: Judicial Complaints Reviewer tells MSPs judges should register their interests like others in public life.

JCR Moi Ali gives evidence to Scottish Parliament on a proposed Register of Judicial Interests

Video footage and a full report on Lord Brian Gill giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament in November 2015 can be found here: JUDGE ANOTHER DAY: Sparks fly as top judge demands MSPs close investigation on judges’ secret wealth & interests - Petitions Committee Chief brands Lord Gill’s evidence as “passive aggression”

Evidence of Lord Gill before the Scottish Parliament 10 November 2015

Later, in June 2017 - Lord Carloway (real name Colin John MacLean Sutherland) did accept an invitation to give evidence at the Public Petitions Committee.

However, Carloway's position relied on attacking the media, court users, and a demand that judges essentially be exempt from the same levels of transparency applied to all other public officials.

The judge's appearance at the Public Petitions Committee was widely criticised, after Lord Carloway withered during detailed questions by Alex Neil MSP on serious issues of senior judges failing to declare significant conflicts of interest.

Video footage and a full report on Lord Carloway (Colin Sutherland) giving widely criticised evidence to the Scottish Parliament in June 2017 can be found here: REGISTER TO JUDGE: Lord Carloway criticised after he blasts Parliament probe on judicial transparency - Top judge says register of judges’ interests should only be created if judiciary discover scandal or corruption within their own ranks

Lord Carloway evidence on Register of Judges interests Petitions Committee Scottish Parliament 29 June 2017

In May 2018, the Public Petitions Committee rejected Lord Carloway's claims of an "unworkable" register, with MSPs ultimately backing the petition after a six year investigation and passing the petition to the Justice Committee for further action in May 2018, with an obvious expectation of progress – reported in further detail here: JUDICIAL REGISTER: Holyrood Petitions Committee calls for legislation to require Scotland’s judges to declare their interests in a register of judicial Interests

Petition PE 1458 Register of Judicial Interests Public Petitions Committee 22 March 2018

HOLYROOD’S EIGHT YEAR JUDICIAL INTERESTS PROBE:

The judicial register petition - first debated at the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee in January 2013 – calls for the creation of a publicly available register of judicial interests.

A full debate on the proposal to require judges to declare their interests was held at the Scottish Parliament on 9 October 2014 - ending in a motion calling on the Scottish Government to create a register of judicial interests. The motion was overwhelmingly supported by MSPs from all political parties.

The lengthy Scottish Parliament probe on judicial interests has generated over sixty two submissions of evidence, at least twenty one Committee hearings, a private meeting and fifteen speeches by MSPs during a full Holyrood debate and has since been taken over by Holyrood’s Justice Committee after a recommendation to take the issue forward from the Public Petitions Committee in March 2018.

A full report containing video footage of every hearing, speech, and evidence sessions at the Scottish Parliament on Petition PE1458 can be found here: Scottish Parliament debates, speeches & evidence sessions on widely supported judicial transparency petition calling for a Register of Interests for Scotland's judiciary.

The Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee has backed calls for further work on the judicial interests register during at least THREE further Holyrood hearings, including the latest hearing from June 2019, reported here: JUDICIAL REGISTER: Justice Committee to hear evidence from ex-Judicial Investigator, top judge on judicial interests register, MSP says Scottish judges should not be involved with Gulf States implicated in unlawful wars, mistreatment of women's rights

A report on the Justice Committee’s consideration of the Judicial Interests Register Petition in May 2019 can be found here: JUDICIAL REGISTER: Justice Committee investigate approach to judges’ interests in other countries – MSPs say ‘Recusals register not comprehensive enough’ ‘Openness & transparency do not contradict independence of the judiciary’

A report on the Justice Committee’s consideration of the Judicial Interests Register Petition in February 2019 can be found here: JUDICIAL REGISTER - MSPs urged to take forward SEVEN year petition to create a Register of Judges’ Interests as Holyrood Justice Committee handed evidence of Scottish Judges serving in Gulf states regimes known to abuse Human Rights

Previous articles on the lack of transparency within Scotland’s judiciary, investigations by Diary of Injustice including reports from the media, and video footage of debates at the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee can be found here : A Register of Interests for Scotland's Judiciary.

FOI PROBE: Holyrood Committee hear Scottish Information Commissioner backed off promise to bring Freedom of Information to Scottish Police Federation - even after Info. Tsar knew England & Wales Police Fed. already complied with FOI legislation

Scots Police Fed FOI scrutiny. A POST LEGISLATIVE inquiry into Freedom of Information law by the Scottish Parliament has published an account of how the Scottish Information Commissioner backed off promises to recommend FOI compliance for the union which represents all Police Officers in Police Scotland.

Evidence submitted to the Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee (PAPLS) inquiry reveals how the office of the Scottish Information Commissioner initially promised to recommend Freedom of Information compliance for the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) on the social media network Twitter.

However, the SIC then backtracked over multiple enquiries from journalists as to what further work had taken place by Daren Fitzhenry and his staff.

In a tweet dated 18 May 2017, the Scottish Information Commissioner's office wrote in response to calls for FOI compliance to recommended for the Scottish Police Federation: "Thanks - we'll add it to our list of bodies to propose to Ministers. Individuals can also make their own representations to the Scot Gov"

The positive response came after the SIC was informed of the Freedom of Information compliance status of the Police Federation of England & Wales – which is enshrined in legislation:

Freedom of Information Act etc: Police Federation for England and Wales: The Police Federation for England and Wales is to be treated for the purposes of— (a)10the Freedom of Information Act 2000,(b)the Data Protection Act 1998, and (c)section 18 of the Inquiries Act 2005, as if it were a body listed in Part 5 of Schedule 1 to the 2000 Act (public authorities).

However, after further enquiries from the medial, no further work on the issue by the Scottish Information Commissioner took place, and in response to further enquiries, the SIC claimed they were under resourced to look into the case and requested journalists make a recommendation to the Scottish Government.

An investigation by journalists into the Scottish Police Federation funding – by using Freedom of Information laws to quiz the Scottish Government – revealed SPF Boss Calum Steele, wrote to the Scottish Government SEVEN DAYS after the Information Commissioner’s promise to recommend FOI compliance for the SPF.

The letter from PC Calum Steele to the Scottish Government informed Ministers the Scottish Police Federation no longer wanted an annual public cash handout of £374,000.

The annual Scottish Government funding grant – which has seen the Police Union rake in significant amounts of public cash over the years – is thought to be one of several reasons serving and former Police Officers along with journalists are seeking FOI compliance for the Scottish Police Federation.

The Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee has now published an evidence submission from journalist Peter Cherbi on how the Scottish Information Commissioner backed off their initial promise to recommend Freedom of Information Compliance for the Scottish Police Federation.

The full submission, available online here is published below:

PUBLIC AUDIT AND POST-LEGISLATIVE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

POST LEGISLATIVE SCRUTINY - FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (Scotland) ACT 2002

With regard to an example of a failure by the Scottish Information Commissioner to recommend an organisation (in this case the Scottish Police Federation) for FOISA compliance, I would like to submit this matter for consideration by the committee

In my role as a journalist, I was approached by persons including ex Police Officers who drew my attention to the lack of FOI compliance for the Scottish Police Federation and problems which members had experienced when attempting to make enquiries with the SPF - which - had the enquiry been via Freedom of Information legislation, would have been answered, and within a legal framework.

Noting the equivalent Police Federation of England & Wales has been FOI compliant for some time, I approached the Scottish Information Commissioner with a request the Commissioner look to recommend compliance for the Scottish Police Federation - given various transparency issues which had been brought to my attention, and the fact the equivalent Police Federation of England & Wales was already FOI Compliant.

However, while initially the SIC made what appeared to be a policy statement via twitter that they would "add it to the list of bodies to propose to ministers” on 18 May 2017 via twitter https://www.twitter.com/FOIScotland/status/865234073316470785 - further communications between myself and the SIC saw the Scottish Information Commissioner retreat from their earlier position.

A further chaser to the SIC on recommending compliance for the SPF then saw the SIC claim it was under-resourced, and could not undertake the work (although the SIC had written in considerable length on the issue to myself).

Ultimately the SIC then suggested I personally make a recommendation to Scottish Ministers on the matter - however, given what has already been learned in terms of how the Scottish Government treat such requests, and indeed my own experience of Freedom of Information compliance with the Scottish Government, a recommendation from myself as a journalist was unlikely to carry the same weight as one from the Scottish Information Commissioner.

The material accumulated as part of my research, including FOI disclosures from the Scottish Government, and contact with the Scottish Information Commissioner - is published online here: PROBE THE FED: Calls for Holyrood to probe secretive Scottish Police Federation as files reveal SPF General Secretary asked Scottish Government to withdraw £374K public cash grant funding - after social media transparency calls from cops

Given the Scottish Police Federation were in receipt of some £374,000 a year of public funds - an additional matter drawn to my attention by serving & former Police officers, I then sent FOI requests to the Scottish Government and took up the issue - noting that since the SPF was in receipt of public funds, this was an additional reason to bring the organisation within FOISA.

However, it is worth noting after I began to raise the issue with the Scottish Information Commissioner on social media, and some days after I approached the SIC with regards to recommending SPF compliance with FOISA the General Secretary of the SPF wrote to the Scottish Government and requested cancellation of the public cash grant.

It is difficult to conclude the raising of FOI compliance with the SIC, and the SPF’s decision to cancel the £374,400 public cash grant - all occurring within the same week - is a coincidence.

I feel the Committee should look into this matter, as an example of the process of recommending organisations for FOISA compliance.

And perhaps with the question of public funds to the Scottish Police Federation, and the notable request by the SPF for withdrawal of the public cash grant - only days after the issue of FOI compliance was raised publicly, there may be issues which the Committee may wish to explore further.

Among the additional FOI documents disclosed by the Scottish Government include some, but not all minutes of meetings & discussions around the grant funding for the Scottish Police Federation, and as has been consistent with recent Scottish Government releases, documents are subject to significant redactions.

However, while the letter from the SPF General Secretary to the Scottish Government reveals scant detail of SPF finances, former and currently serving Police Officers have posted their concerns on social media with regards to figures of up to ten million pounds held by the Scottish Police Federation in bank accounts & assets.

Social media postings by current and former Police Officers also refer to trips undertaken by SPF representatives including Callum Steele and suspended Sheriff Peter Watson - to various gatherings funded by the Scottish Police Federation.

Meanwhile, as current & former Police Officers & journalists asking questions of the SPF are either blocked online, or subject to social media attacks by supporters of the Scottish Police Federation and politically friendly elements – some of whom give after dinner speeches or lobby for public cash for their ventures, the Scottish Information Commissioner appears to have reneged on their enthusiasm for recommending FOI compliance for the SPF.

HOLROOD COMMITTEE PROBES FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LEGISLATION

The Post Legislative Scrutiny of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 began with MSPs taking evidence from stakeholders on 22 March 2018. The Committee took evidence from the Scottish Information Commisioner on 10 January 2019 and agreed to undertake post-legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

A SPICe briefing was also prepared for the Committee and also contains information about recent developments.

A second SPICe briefing was prepared, which includes global right to information data, September 2019.

Call for Evidence

The Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee launched a call for written views as part of its post-legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (the 2002 Act). The call for views launched on 6 of March 2019. The deadline was extended until the 21 June 2019.

Call for Views; Read the written submissions

The Freedom of Information inquiry has since heard evidence from journalists in an earlier session, where the Committee took evidence in a roundtable format from - Claire Cairns, Coalition of Carers; Severin Carrell, Scotland Editor, The Guardian; Dr Craig Dalzell, Head of Policy Research, Common Weal; Rob Edwards, Director and co-founder The Ferret; Carole Ewart, Convener, Campaign for Freedom of Information Scotland; Stephen Lowe, Policy Officer, UNISON Scotland; Nick McGowan-Lowe, Organiser Scottish Office, National Union of Journalists; and Bailey-Lee Robb, MSYP and Trustee, Scottish Youth Parliament.

A second evidence session also heard from Professor Kevin Dunion, Honorary Professor in the School of Law and Executive Director of the Centre of Freedom of Information, University of Dundee; Dr Karen McCullagh, Lecturer in Law and Course Director, LLM Media Law, Policy and Practice, UEA Law School, University of East Anglia; Professor Colin Reid, Professor of Environmental Law, University of Dundee; Alistair Sloan, Solicitor, Inksters Solicitors; Dr Ben Worthy (by video link), Senior Lecturer in Politics at Birkbeck College, University of London.

A further evidence session later this week on 7 November will feature evidence from Police Scotland; NHS Lanarkshie; Angus Council; NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde; University of Edinburgh; Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service; Aberdeen City Council; Society of Local Authority Lawyers and Administrators in Scotland.

All updates and progress on the PAPLS inquiry on the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 can be found at the Scottish Parliament's website here: Post-legislative Scrutiny : Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

FACULTY LORD: 'Abbotsford Art & Faculty of Advocates trustee' declaration of globetrotting £223K a year anti-transparency top judge Lord Carloway, with 20 years on the judicial bench – calls into question scrutiny of Court quango interests register

Judges declarations questioned. LATER this month - the Scottish Parliament's Justice Committee are to consider further evidence on a cross party backed petition calling for judges to declare their interests: Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary

The petition calls for the creation of a publicly available register of judicial interests – containing information on judges’ backgrounds, figures relating to personal wealth, undeclared earnings, business & family connections inside & outside of the legal profession, membership of organisations, property and land, offshore investments, hospitality, details on recusals and other information routinely lodged in registers of interest across all walks of public life in the UK and around the world.

However, EIGHT YEARS on from when the petition was originally filed with Holyrood's Public Petitions Committee in October 2012 - there has been little movement on creating a register of judicial interests for all members of Scotland's judiciary.

The Public Petitions Committee’s support for creating the register of judicial interests and transfer of work to the Justice Committee - was reported in detail here: JUDICIAL REGISTER: Holyrood Petitions Committee calls for legislation to require Scotland’s judges to declare their interests in a register of judicial Interests

And - despite cross party support for the petition during a full Holyrood debate in 2014, and backing from the Public Petitions Committee who passed the petition to the Justice Committee with a recommendation in May 2018 - Scotland's 700 strong judges continue to resist calls to declare their interests in exactly the same way all 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament are required to declare.

While Lord Carloway continues to fight calls for judicial transparency - the existence of a register of interests for the quango which oversees the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) – gives a miniscule, carefully controlled snapshot of interests - which are far from the reality of a globetrotting top judge who has been on the judicial bench for two decades on a sizeable public salary.

During 2016-18, the previous, and sole declaration of Lord Carloway in the SCTS register was that of "Trustee Scottish Art Club".

After nearly two decades on the bench as a judge, connections to countless law firms, cases, decisions, and politically charged campaigns such as the removal of corroboration from Scots Law – one could be forgiven for questioning how and why Scotland’s top judge on a quarter of a million pounds a year – with a pension to match – gets away with declaring working with art as an interest - and nothing else.

In the latest SCTS Board register of interests, a new declaration appears for Lord Carloway - under the heading of Appointments Ex Officio – noting the following: Trustee for the Faculty of Advocates, Abbotsford Collection Trust.

The remaining declarations of interests - which notably do not include any references to law firms, property or financial interests are as follows:

Lord President - The Right Hon. Lord Carloway (real name: Colin John Maclean Sutherland) : Appointments Ex Officio: Trustee for the Faculty of Advocates; Abbotsford Collection Trust.

Lord Justice Clerk - The Right Hon. Lady Dorrian: Directorships: Cranley School Ltd; Glenside Court Ltd; Franco- British Lawyers Society Ltd; Appointments Ex Officio: Commissioner of the Honours of Scotland; Senior Commissioner, Queen Victoria School, Dunblane; Trusteeships: Cranley Trust; Faculty of Advocates 1985 Trust; Scottish Arts Club;

Rt Hon. Lady Smith Trusteeships: President and Trustee - Friends of the Music of St. Giles Cathedral; Other Appointments & Interests: Chair - Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry; Honorary Bencher - Gray’s Inn

Sheriff Principal Duncan Murray: Appointments Ex Officio: Commissioner, Northern Lighthouse Board; Trustee Kibble Education and Care Centre

Sheriff Aisha Anwar: No declarations

Sheriff A Grant McCulloch: Trusteeships: Chair West Fife Education Trust. Other Appointments & Interests: Chair Relationship Scotland – Couple Counselling, Fife; Committee Member Cammo Residents Association; Chair – Discipline Committee ICAS; Chair East & West Fife Education Trusts

Morna Rae JP: Appointments Ex Officio: Justice of the Peace; Other Appointments & Interests: Employee North Ayrshire Council Church of Scotland Elder

Dr Joseph Morrow QC: Directorship: Non Executive Director, St. John’s Scotland Appointments Ex Officio: Lord Lyon King of Arms; Member of Judicial Council Trusteeships: Trustee, Mudie Trust, Dundee; Trustee, Kidney Trust, Dundee; Trustee, Tealing Community Hall; Trustee, Scottish Churches Trust; Chairman & Trustee of Highland Cadet Force Foundation; Other Appointments & Interests: Legal Assessor, South Episcopal Church President, Society of Messengers at Arms President, Scottish Genealogical Society Patron, Scottish Family History Society

Dr Kirsty J Hood QC: Directorship: Scottish Universities Law Institute Ltd. Trusteeships: The Stair Society’s Council; Trustee, Clark Foundation Education; Other Appointments & Interests: Self-employed Advocate; Regular ad hoc employment with the University of Edinburgh – delivering seminars on LLB courses; Regular ad hoc employment with the University of Glasgow– delivering lectures / seminars on LLB courses; Periodically providing materials for LexisPSL Dispute Resolution (online services – LexisNexis); Clerk of Faculty – Faculty of Advocates (non remunerated); Member of the Scottish Committee of Frank-British Lawyers Society (non remunerated); Contributor of updates to “Scottish Family Law Service” (LexisNexis Publishers); Guernsey Financial Services Commission’s Panel of Senior Decision Makers.

Simon JD Catto: Other Appointments & Interests: Member of Cornerstone Exchange LLP Member of XT Property LLP Member of Addleshaw Goddard LLP (Head of Litigation Scotland)

Professor R Hugh MacDougall: Trusteeships: Cunningham Trust; Cross Trust; St. Columba’s Hospice; Other Appointments & Interests: St Giles Cathedral Elder, Edinburgh

Joe Al-Gharabally: Directorship: Ernst & Young

Col. David Mcilroy: Other Appointments & Interests: Independent Prison Monitor (Voluntary position supporting HM Inspector of Prisons in Scotland)

Eric McQueen: Appointments Ex Officio: Member of the Scottish Civil Justice Council

Further information in relation to SCTS Board members shareholdings, which was only obtained via a Freedom of Information request to the Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service reveals the following shareholdings declarations:

Rt Hon Lady Smith, President of Scottish Tribunals: Shareholdings: Artemis Fund Managers; Barclays; Ishares PLC; Royal London; Axa Framlington UK; Majedie Asset Management; X Trackers S&P; Blackrock; Invesco; Robeco Capital.

Sheriff Aisha Anwar: Shareholdings: SRZ Commercial Ltd

Sheriff A Grant McCulloch: Shareholdings: Scotgold Resources Ltd

Simon JD Catto: Shareholdings: Cornerstone Asset Management General Investments; Jupiter Merlin Income Portfolio; Schroder MM Diversity Z inc; M&G Recovery 1 Inc; M&G Corporate Bond Fund.

Joe Al-Gharabally: Shareholdings: Ryan Air; AT&T.

HOLYROOD’S EIGHT YEAR JUDICIAL INTERESTS PROBE:

The judicial register petition - first debated at the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee in January 2013 – calls for the creation of a publicly available register of judicial interests.

A full debate on the proposal to require judges to declare their interests was held at the Scottish Parliament on 9 October 2014 - ending in a motion calling on the Scottish Government to create a register of judicial interests. The motion was overwhelmingly supported by MSPs from all political parties.

The lengthy Scottish Parliament probe on judicial interests has generated over sixty two submissions of evidence, at least twenty one Committee hearings, a private meeting and fifteen speeches by MSPs during a full Holyrood debate and has since been taken over by Holyrood’s Justice Committee after a recommendation to take the issue forward from the Public Petitions Committee in March 2018.

A full report containing video footage of every hearing, speech, and evidence sessions at the Scottish Parliament on Petition PE1458 can be found here: Scottish Parliament debates, speeches & evidence sessions on widely supported judicial transparency petition calling for a Register of Interests for Scotland's judiciary.

The Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee has backed calls for further work on the judicial interests register during at least THREE further Holyrood hearings, including the latest hearing from June 2019, reported here: JUDICIAL REGISTER: Justice Committee to hear evidence from ex-Judicial Investigator, top judge on judicial interests register, MSP says Scottish judges should not be involved with Gulf States implicated in unlawful wars, mistreatment of women's rights

A report on the Justice Committee’s consideration of the Judicial Interests Register Petition in May 2019 can be found here: JUDICIAL REGISTER: Justice Committee investigate approach to judges’ interests in other countries – MSPs say ‘Recusals register not comprehensive enough’ ‘Openness & transparency do not contradict independence of the judiciary’

A report on the Justice Committee’s consideration of the Judicial Interests Register Petition in February 2019 can be found here: JUDICIAL REGISTER - MSPs urged to take forward SEVEN year petition to create a Register of Judges’ Interests as Holyrood Justice Committee handed evidence of Scottish Judges serving in Gulf states regimes known to abuse Human Rights

TWO TOP SCOTS JUDGES FAIL IN HOLYROOD JUDICIAL TRANSPARENCY PROBE:

Both of Scotland’s recent top judges failed to convince MSPs that a register of interests is not required for judges – even after both Lord Presidents attempted to press home the existence of judicial oaths and ethics – which are both written, and approved by – judges.

Video footage and a full report on Lord Brian Gill giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament in November 2015 can be found here: JUDGE ANOTHER DAY: Sparks fly as top judge demands MSPs close investigation on judges’ secret wealth & interests - Petitions Committee Chief brands Lord Gill’s evidence as “passive aggression”

Video footage and a full report on Lord Carloway (Colin Sutherland) giving widely criticised evidence to the Scottish Parliament in July 2017 can be found here: REGISTER TO JUDGE: Lord Carloway criticised after he blasts Parliament probe on judicial transparency - Top judge says register of judges’ interests should only be created if judiciary discover scandal or corruption within their own ranks

Previous articles on the lack of transparency within Scotland’s judiciary, investigations by Diary of Injustice including reports from the media, and video footage of debates at the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee can be found here : A Register of Interests for Scotland's Judiciary.

SUPREME INTERESTS: UK Supreme Court Judge Lord Reed's undeclared links to Lord Carloway selection panel & appeal review work - will not alter UKSC "unlawful" Parliament suspension ruling - but should feature in register of judges' interests

UKSC judge Lord Reed linked to Lord Carloway job panel. A POTENTIAL undeclared conflict of interest of the next President of the UK Supreme Court (UKSC) – in relation to a recent ruling on the unlawful suspension of Parliament - has been discovered from documents obtained from the Scottish Government.

Papers obtained via Freedom of Information legislation and published in 2016 reveal that Scottish judge Lord Reed – who has sat on the Supreme Court since 2012 – also sat on the selection panel which recommended the appointment of Lord Carloway (Colin Sutherland) as Lord President in 2015.

The potential conflict of Lord Reed - identified during discussions with legal sources – has a bearing (but no overall effect) on the ruling by eleven Supreme Court justices in relation to the findings of three Scottish appeal court judges – headed by Lord Carloway – who declared Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend parliament in the run-up to the October Brexit deadline as unlawful.

In that ruling, Lord President, Lord Carloway, decided that although advice to HM the Queen on the exercise of the royal prerogative of prorogating Parliament was not reviewable on the normal grounds of judicial review, it would nevertheless be unlawful if its purpose was to stymie parliamentary scrutiny of the executive, which was a central pillar of the good governance principle enshrined in the constitution; this followed from the principles of democracy and the rule of law. The circumstances in which the advice was proffered and the content of the documents produced by the respondent demonstrated that this was the true reason for the prorogation.

However, the failure of Lord Reed to declare he sat on the appointments panel which recommended Lord Carloway for the top judicial job in Scotland – is one of two potential conflicts of interest for the Supreme Court judge which may have required to have – at the very uleast - been aired and debated for recusal - prior to the UKSC hearing on the suspension of the Westminster Parliament.

How judges select Scotland’s judges - in secret Scottish Government documents previously obtained by the media revealed the selection panel for the office of Lord President - of which Lord Reed was a member, along with Sir Muir Russell, Judge Lady Dorrian, and Deirdre Fulton – considered five candidates for the position of Scotland’s top judge.

Written exchanges between civil servants and the selection panel which are included in the released papers - reveal a short listing meeting was held on 1 September 2015.

The panel considered that two applicants Lord Carloway [Redacted] merited an interview on the basis of the quality of their applications.

Two emails from Lord Reed, dated 14th ^ 15 October 2015 – released by the Scottish Government in the FOI documents - give a minimal, and heavily redacted description of Lord Reed’s role in the panel’s work, which ultimately recommended Lord Carloway for the position of Scotland’s top judge.

In one email, Lord Reed states: “This strikes me as an excellent report. I have made a few minor suggestions as shown on the attached version. Most of the suggestions are trivial, [redacted]”

In a second email Lord Reed writes “I am content with the amended report. I agree, in particular, with the points which were made by Leeona. The amended version beems to me to present an accurate account, and a fair and balanced assessment [redacted]”

A further potential interest not declared, brought ot the attention of journalists by a legal source, identifies Lord Reed’s work together with Lord Carloway – on a ‘compatibility issues review’ to consider if the High Court of Justiciary in Scotland would still have to give permission for appeals in criminal cases to go forward to the UK Supreme Court.

The review group was itself established by Lord Carloway, with others appointmed to the group being Lord Reed (Deputy President of the UKSC), and others - Lady Dorrian (Lord Justice Clerk); David Harvie (Crown Agent); Roddy Dunlop QC (Treasurer of the Faculty of Advocates); and John Scott QC (President of the Society of Solicitor Advocates).

The review concluded - "Appeals to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (UKSC) should not require certification by the High Court of Justiciary that the issue raises a point of law of general public importance, a review chaired by the Lord Justice General has concluded."

Although – it should be pointed out – coincidentally, the review on appeals to the UKSC – limited to appeals in criminal cases - came too late to help in several serious cases of judicial conflicts of interest in Scotland – particularly on a well known case where Court of Session judge & Privy Councillor - Lord Malcolm (Colin Campell QC) heard a case up to eight times - while failing to declare his own son represented the defenders in multi million pound damages action.

A report on the Lord Malcolm conflict of interest case can be found here: CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Papers lodged at Holyrood judicial interests register probe reveal Court of Session judge heard case eight times - where his son acted as solicitor for the defenders.

The two potential conflicts of interest, not declared by Lord Reed in relation to what is a law changing UKSC ruling of significant impact – again highlight the need for a publicly available Register of judges’ interests - to ensure members of the judiciary do not forget to disclose interests which may have a bearing on cases before them.

The issue also brings into question again, the self imposed secrecy on judicial interests by the judges of the UK Supreme Court and wider UK Judiciary – who have resisted calls to become more transparent and declare their interests in the same way all public servants and elected politicians are required to declare in publicly available registers of interest.

The current stance of UK Supreme Court judges on transparency in relation to declarations of interest, is a point blank refusal by the judiciary to comply with the public expectation of transparency.

The UK Supreme Court’s website states the following in relation to judicial expenses and interests:

Justices' interests and expenses

Background

Prior to the creation of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, the highest court in the UK was the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords. The members of the Committee were Lords of Appeal in Ordinary appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876. Although those appointments gave them full voting and other rights in the House of Lords, the Law Lords had for some years voluntarily excluded themselves from participating in the legislative work of the House. Notwithstanding that, they were bound by the rules of the House and provided entries for the House of Lords Register of Interests.

On the creation of the Supreme Court the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary became Justices of the Supreme Court. They retain their titles as Peers of the Realm, but are excluded by statute from sitting or voting in the House, for so long as they remain in office as Justices of the Supreme Court. As such, they are treated as Peers on leave of absence; and do not have entries in the House of Lords Register of Interests. Historical information remains accessible via the House of Lords website.

Other judges in the UK, such as the judges of the Court of Appeal and the High Court in England and Wales, and in Northern Ireland, and the Court of Session in Scotland, do not have a Register of Interests. Instead they are under a duty to declare any interest where a case comes before them where this is or might be thought to be the case.

Current position

Against this background the Justices have decided that it would not be appropriate or indeed feasible for them to have a comprehensive Register of Interests, as it would be impossible for them to identify all the interests, which might conceivably arise, in any future case that came before them. To draw up a Register of Interests, which people believed to be complete, could potentially be misleading. Instead the Justices of the Supreme Court have agreed a formal Code of Conduct by which they will all be bound, and which is now publicly available on the UKSC website.

In addition all the Justices have taken the Judicial Oath - and they all took it again on 1 October 2009 - which obliges them to "do right to all manner of people after the law and usages of this Realm without fear or favour, affection or ill will"; and, as is already the practice with all other members of the judiciary, they will continue to declare any interest which arises in the context of a particular case and, if necessary, recuse themselves from sitting in that case - whether a substantive hearing, or an application for permission to appeal.

In relation to the UK Supreme Court’s stance on declarations of interests, and declarations of conflicts of interest, Diary of Injustice reported on the issue in detail during 2017, here: SUPREME SECRETS: UK Supreme Court refuses to publish recusal data - Court rejects release of info on UKSC justices' conflicts of interest in response to Freedom of Information recusals probe on top UK court

During the probe of UKSC recusals and failure to declare interests, a common thread of dishonesty was noted in court staff’s handling of a Freedom of Information request from Scotland – which was only answered after coverage of the issue in The National newspaper, which prompted the Information Commissioner’s Office to order the court to respond to the request.

Lord Reed’s limited biography on the UK Supreme Court website (reprinted below) does not feature either of the issues identified linking the judge to Lord Carloway’s appointment as Lord President nor any mention of review & other work undertaken with Lord Carloway – including the UK Supreme Court sitting in Edinburgh, which included Lord Carloway as a sitting judge on the UKSC panel.

LORD REED BIOGRAPHY:

Robert John Reed, Lord Reed became Deputy President of The Supreme Court on 7 June 2018. He was appointed as a Justice of The Supreme Court in February 2012.

He studied law at Edinburgh University and undertook doctoral research in law at the University of Oxford. He qualified as an advocate in Scotland and as a barrister in England. He practised at the Scottish Bar in a wide range of civil cases, and also prosecuted serious crime.

He served as a senior judge in Scotland for 13 years. From 2008 to 2012 a member of the Inner House of the Court of Session, and from 1998 to 2008 a member of the Outer House of the Court of Session, where he was the Principal Commercial Judge.

As well as sitting on the Supreme Court and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, he is also a member of the panel of ad hoc judges of the European Court of Human Rights, and is a Non-Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong. He is also the Visitor of Balliol College, Oxford.

Lord Reed is one of the two Scottish Justices of The Supreme Court.

To update readers – on 24 July 2019, the last working day of Prime Minister Theresa May, HM the Queen appointed Lord Reed to serve as the President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and declared her intention to raise him to the peerage. 

Lord Reed will take over as President of the United Kingdom Supreme Court from Baroness Hale of Richmond on 11 January 2020.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Readers should note this article does not take sides in the brexit debate. Rather this article is a reporting of a failure to declare or discuss relevant interests and a potential failure to recuse - by a senior judge who has been appointed as the new President of the UK Supreme Court.