Keatings v Advocate General for Scotland

JurisdictionScotland
JudgeLady Carmichael
Judgment Date05 February 2021
Neutral Citation[2021] CSOH 16
Docket NumberNo 10
CourtCourt of Session (Outer House)
Date05 February 2021

[2021] CSOH 16

Outer House

Lady Carmichael

No 10
Keatings
and
Advocate General for Scotland
Cases referred to:

Aberdeen Development Co Ltd v Mackie, Ramsay and Taylor 1977 SLT 177

Attorney-General for Northern Ireland's Reference of Devolution Issues to the Supreme Court Pursuant to Paragraph 34 of Schedule 10 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (No 2) (Re) [2019] UKSC 1

Attorney-General's Reference (No 5 of 2002) [2004] UKHL 40; [2005] 1 AC 167; [2004] 3 WLR 957; [2004] 4 All ER 901; [2005] 1 Cr App R 20; [2004] HRLR 37; [2005] Crim LR 220

AXA General Insurance Co Ltd v Lord Advocate sub nom AXA General Insurance Ltd, Petrs; AXA General Insurance Ltd and ors v HM Advocate and ors [2011] UKSC 46; 2012 SC (UKSC) 122; 2011 SLT 1061; [2011] 3 WLR 871; [2012] HRLR 3; [2011] UKHRR 1221; 122 BMLR 149; 108 (41) LSG 22; The Times, 19 October 2011

BH v Lord Advocate [2012] UKSC 24; 2012 SC (UKSC) 308; 2012 SLT 799; 2012 SCCR 562; 2012 SCL 635; [2013] 1 AC 413; [2012] 3 WLR 151; [2012] 4 All ER 600; [2012] HRLR 24

Blackburn v Attorney-General [1971] 1 WLR 1037; [1971] 2 All ER 1380; [1971] CMLR 784

Cherry and ors v Advocate General for Scotland sub nom R (on the application of Miller) v Prime Minister [2019] UKSC 41; 2020 SC (UKSC) 1; 2019 SLT 1143; 2019 SCLR 1028; [2020] AC 373; [2019] 3 WLR 589; [2019] 4 All ER 299; The Times, 14 October 2019

Christian Institute v Lord Advocate [2016] UKSC 51; 2017 SC (UKSC) 29; 2016 SLT 805; 2016 SCLR 448; [2016] HRLR 19; [2016] ELR 474; 19 CCL Rep 422; The Times, 26 September 2016

Craig v Advocate General for Scotland [2018] CSOH 117; 2019 SC 230; 2019 SLT 1

Crotty v An Taoiseach [1987] IR 713

Davidson v Scottish Ministers [2005] UKHL 74; 2006 SC (HL) 41; 2006 SLT 110; 2006 SCLR 249

Ghaidan v Godin-Mendoza [2004] UKHL 30; [2004] 2 AC 557; [2004] 3 WLR 113; [2004] 3 All ER 411; [2004] 2 FLR 600; [2004] 2 FCR 481; [2004] HRLR 31; [2004] UKHRR 827; 16 BHRC 671; [2004] HLR 46; [2005] 1 P & CR 18; [2005] L & TR 3; [2004] 2 EGLR 132; [2004] Fam Law 641; [2004] 27 EG 128 (CS); [2004] NPC 100; [2004] 2 P & CR DG17

Imperial Tobacco Ltd v Lord Advocate sub nom Imperial Tobacco Ltd, Petr [2012] UKSC 61; 2013 SC (UKSC) 153; 2013 SLT 2; 2013 SCLR 121; [2013] LLR 6; The Times, 21 January 2013

MIAB v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2016] CSIH 64; 2016 SC 871; 2016 SLT 1220; 2017 SCLR 557

MacCormick v Lord Advocate 1953 SC 396; 1953 SLT 255

Martin v Most sub nom Martin v HM Advocate [2010] UKSC 10; 2010 SC (UKSC) 40; 2010 SLT 412; 2010 SCCR 401; 2010 SCL 476; The Times, 9 March 2010

Maugham, Petr [2019] CSOH 80; 2019 SLT 1313

Moohan v Lord Advocate [2014] UKSC 67; 2015 SC (UKSC) 1; 2015 SLT 2; [2015] AC 901; [2015] 2 WLR 141; [2015] 2 All ER 361

Napier v Scottish Ministers [2005] CSIH 16; 2005 1 SC 307; 2005 SLT 379; [2005] UKHRR 268

Pepper (Inspector of Taxes) v Hart [1993] AC 593; [1992] 3 WLR 1032; [1993] 1 All ER 42; [1992] STC 898; [1993] ICR 291; [1993] IRLR 33; [1993] RVR 127; 143 NLJ 17; [1992] NPC 154; The Times, 30 November 1992; The Independent, 26 November 1992

Prior v Scottish Ministers [2020] CSIH 36; 2020 SC 528; 2020 SLT 762

R v Secretary of State for the Home Department, ex p Wynne [1993] 1 WLR 115; [1993] 1 All ER 574

R v Treasury (HM), ex p Smedley [1984] EWCA Civ 7; [1985] QB 657; [1985] 2 WLR 576

R (on the application of Black) v Secretary of State for Justice [2017] UKSC 81; [2018] AC 215; [2018] 2 WLR 123; [2018] 2 All ER 212; 160 BMLR 1; The Times, 10 January 2018

R (on the application of Ewing) v Office of the Deputy Prime Minister [2005] EWCA Civ 1583; [2006] 1 WLR 1260; [2006] LLR 18; [2005] NPC 146

R (on the application of Freedom and Justice Party) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs [2016] EWHC 2010

R (on the application of Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union [2017] UKSC 5; [2018] AC 61; [2017] 2 WLR 583; [2017] 1 All ER 593; [2017] NI 141; [2017] 2 CMLR 15; [2017] HRLR 2; The Times, 25 January 2017

R (on the application of Privacy International) v Investigatory Powers Tribunal [2019] UKSC 22; [2020] AC 491; [2019] 2 WLR 1219; [2019] 4 All ER 1; [2019] HRLR 13

R (on the application of Raw) v Lambeth London Borough Council [2010] EWHC 507

R (on the application of UNISON) v Lord Chancellor [2017] UKSC 51; [2020] AC 869; [2017] 3 WLR 409; [2017] 4 All ER 903; [2017] 4 Costs LR 721; [2018] 1 CMLR 35; [2017] ICR 1037; [2017] IRLR 911; [2017] HRLR 11

R (on the application of Wheeler) v Office of the Prime Minister [2008] EWHC 1409; [2008] ACD 70; 105 (26) LSG 22

Ruddy v Chief Constable, Strathclyde Police [2012] UKSC 57; 2013 SC (UKSC) 126; 2013 SLT 119; 2013 SCLR 110; [2013] HRLR 10; 2013 Rep LR 67

Somerville v Scottish Ministers [2007] UKHL 44; 2008 SC (HL) 45; 2007 SLT 1113; 2007 SCLR 830; [2007] 1 WLR 2734; [2008] HRLR 3; [2008] UKHRR 570; (2007) 151 SJLB 1398

Taylor v Scottish Ministers [2019] CSIH 2; 2019 SLT 288; [2019] LLR 637

Toussaint v Attorney-General of St Vincent and the Grenadines [2007] UKPC 48; [2007] 1 WLR 2825; [2008] 1 All ER 1; 22 BHRC 790

Turner's Trs v Turner 1943 SC 389; 1944 SLT 37

UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill [2018] UKSC 64; 2019 SC (UKSC) 13; 2019 SLT 41; 2019 SCLR 500; [2019] AC 1022; [2019] 2 WLR 1; [2019] 2 All ER 1; [2019] BTC 8

Vince v Advocate General for Scotland [2019] CSIH 51; 2020 SC 90; 2019 SLT 1306

Walton v Scottish Ministers [2012] UKSC 44; 2013 SC (UKSC) 67; 2012 SLT 1211; [2013] PTSR 51; [2013] 1 CMLR 28; [2013] Env LR 16; [2013] JPL 323

West v Secretary of State for Scotland 1992 SC 385; 1992 SLT 636; 1992 SCLR 504; The Scotsman, 5 May 1992; The Times, 11 June 1992

Whaley v Lord Watson of Invergowrie 2000 SC 340; 2000 SLT 475; 2000 SCLR 279; The Times, 21 March 2000

Wightman v Advocate General for Scotland [2018] CSIH 18; 2018 SC 388; 2018 SLT 356; 2018 SCLR 588

Wightman v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union [2018] CSIH 6; 2019 SC 111; 2018 SLT 959; [2019] 1 CMLR 23; The Times, 12 September 2018

Wilson v First County Trust Ltd [2003] UKHL 40; [2004] 1 AC 816; [2003] 3 WLR 568; [2003] 4 All ER 97; [2003] 2 All ER (Comm) 491; [2003] HRLR 33; [2003] UKHRR 1085; 100 (35) LSG 39; 147 SJLB 872; The Times, 11 July 2003; The Independent, 3 November 2003

Textbooks etc referred to:

Buchanan, G, De Jure Regni Apud Scotos (1579)

Scottish Government, Protecting Scotland, Renewing Scotland: The Government's Programme for Scotland 2020–2021 (PPDAS753406) (Scottish Government, Edinburgh, September 2020), p 126 (Online: https://www.gov.scot/publications/protecting-scotland-renewing-scotland-governments-programme-scotland-2020-2021/ (14 February 2021))

Scottish Office, Scotland's Parliament (Cm 3658) (TSO, Edinburgh, July 1997)

Scottish Parliament, Standing Orders (5th ed (7th rev), Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, September 2019), Ch 9 (Online: https://www.parliament.scot/Parliamentaryprocedureandguidance/SOEd05Rev07201909.pdf (22 February 2021))

Constitutional law — Scottish Parliament — Legislative competence — Whether Scottish Parliament had power to legislate for holding of referendum on Scottish independence without consent of UK Government

Process — Title to sue — Whether pursuer had standing as political campaigner and prospective voter in forthcoming Scottish parliamentary election

Process — Declarator — Whether pursuer entitled to seek declarator in respect of public law matters by way of ordinary action — Whether pursuer truly invoking supervisory jurisdiction of court — Whether judicial review more appropriate form of procedure

Martin James Keatings raised an action in the Court of Session for declarator. The Advocate General for Scotland, Lord Advocate and Scottish Ministers were called as defenders. The Scottish Ministers initially lodged defences, which were later withdrawn. The cause called on the procedure roll before the Lord Ordinary (Carmichael), on 21 and 22 January 2021.

Section 63A(3) of the Scotland Act 1998 (cap 46) declares that the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government are not to be abolished except on the basis of a decision of the people of Scotland voting in a referendum. By virtue of sec 29, an Act of the Scottish Parliament is not law so far as any provision of the Act is outside the legislative competence of the Parliament, including any that relates to reserved matters or is in breach of the restrictions in sch 4. In terms of para 1(2)(a) of sch 4, an Act of the Scottish Parliament cannot modify, or confer power by subordinate legislation to modify, arts 4 and 6 of the Union with Scotland Act 1706 (6 Ann cap 11) and of the Union with England Act 1707 (APS c 7), so far as they relate to freedom of trade. In terms of sec 30 and para 1(b) of sch 5, reserved matters include the union of the kingdoms of Scotland and England, and the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Section 33(1) allows the Advocate General, the Lord Advocate or the Attorney-General to refer the question of whether a Bill would be within the legislative competence of the Parliament to the UK Supreme Court for decision.

In September 2020, the Scottish Government indicated an intention to publish a draft Bill for a referendum on Scottish independence before the end of the parliamentary term. The pursuer was a campaigner for Scottish independence and a prospective voter in the forthcoming Scottish parliamentary elections, due to take place in May 2021. He raised proceedings for declarator to the effect that the Scottish Parliament had the power to legislate for the holding of a referendum on whether Scotland should be an independent country, without requiring the consent of the UK Government; and that the Scottish Government's proposed Act of the Scottish Parliament concerning an independence referendum contained no provision which, if passed, would be outside the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament.

The pursuer argued that he and other campaigners and voters...

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1 cases
  • Keatings v Advocate General for Scotland
    • United Kingdom
    • Court of Session (Inner House)
    • 30 April 2021
    ...and thus incompetent, but repelled the defenders' plea that the declarators were inconsistent with the structure of the 1998 Act ([2021] CSOH 16). The pursuer reclaimed the decision that the action was incompetent, and the defenders cross-appealed in so far as relating to inconsistency with......

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