Advocate General for Scotland
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Her Majesty's Advocate General for Scotland (Àrd-neach-tagraidh na Bànrighe airson Alba in Gaelic) is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, whose duty is to advise the Crown and UK Government on Scots law.
The office of Advocate General for Scotland was created in 1999 by the Scotland Act 1998 to be the chief legal adviser to the United Kingdom Government on Scots Law, replacing the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General for Scotland, who were transferred to the Scottish Executive.
The office of "Her Majesty's Advocate General for Scotland" should not be confused with that of "Her Majesty's Advocate", which is another name for the Lord Advocate. The Lord Advocate is the senior, and the Advocate General for Scotland ranks after him or her, followed by the Solicitor General for Scotland.
The first holder was Dr Lynda Clark, now a member of the House of Lords as Baroness Clark. On 18 January 2006 Baroness Clark resigned to take up office as a Senator of the College of Justice. The office was vacant until 15 March, when its functions were temporarily conferred on the Secretary of State for Scotland, Alastair Darling MP, under section 87 of the Scotland Act 1998, those functions having for the previous two months been incapable of being performed; there had substantial criticism from the judiciary and others of the length of time the office had been left vacant. On 21 March, however, it was announced Neil Davidson QC, former Solicitor General for Scotland, had been appointed Advocate General. Davidson was created a life peer as Baron Davidson of Glen Clova on 22 March 2006.
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