Dealing only with the latter years of the Scottish parliament allows greater detailed consideration than was practicable in the 8tandard studies of Terry and of Rait. The unicameral parliament comprised both elective and non-elective elements: these are dealt with at the outset along wi th those viho might by legal right attend. '~'he parliament's constitutional basis being the representation of land the electorate is also outlined. Parliamentary sessions are next considered in a general Yvay alone with the distinctions bet'ween parliament and convention, the latter with its limited powers being a peculiarity of the constitution. An outline of procedure follows with incidental emphasis on the importance attached to such formal matters as precedence. With the off'icers of' the house, an attempt is made to differentiate the powers of' President and Commissioner with some regard to the position of a powerf'ul Commissioner like Lauderdale. Next studied is procedure in such matters as debate and voting with a detailed survey of' the committee system, notably the Articles, and with some ref'erence to opposition. Legislative procedure f'ollows including private business which occupied so much of' the house's time, and the exercise of' judicial functions as the effective supreme judicature. Bef'ore dealing with dissolution, the privileges of parliament are dealt with, such position being no accident of arrangement, since they did not attain that same importance in Scotland as in England. Background history is sketched where it leads to a cleare~ understanding of the working of parliament and its accomplishments, since both the eftective working and practical effectiveness of the parliament have been conSistently underestimated by virtually all writers, not least by Dr. Rait.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:560530 |
| Date | January 1966 |
| Creators | Iredell, Godfrey William |
| Publisher | University of London |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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