The Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate General for Scotland (OSAG) is an office established specifically to provide legal services in Scotland to United Kingdom Government Departments. The Office provides legal advice in relation to Scots Law, instructs United Kingdom legislation applying to Scotland and represents Departments in litigation in the Scottish Courts. It has particular expertise in constitutional and public law matters and acts for Government departments in a substantial proportion of the judicial reviews which come before the Court of Session.
OSAG also provides support for the Advocate General in carrying out the Minister's statutory functions under the Scotland Act. Devolution issues within the meaning of Schedule 6 to the Scotland Act that arise in any proceedings in the UK are intimated to the Solicitor to the Advocate General and the staff of the Office co-ordinate their consideration in Whitehall and arrange for any intervention which the Advocate General considers appropriate. The legal staff also consider legislation which comes before the Scottish Parliament so as to identify any issues as to competence which may arise which may require to be reported to the Advocate General.
The Solicitor to the Advocate General (Charles Mullin) is the senior civil servant and lawyer in charge of the Office. The Office is based in Victoria Quay, Edinburgh. OSAG is composed of three divisions with approximately eight lawyers per division, each headed by a senior civil service lawyer. Division A provides legal advice and services including primary and subordinate legislation and litigation to the Department for Work and Pensions; Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Home Office; Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (except environment); Ministry of Justice and other allocated clients. Division B provides the same services (other than litigation) to the Cabinet Office; Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (environment only); Department for Transport; Department for International Development (pensions only); Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform; HM Treasury and related Departments; Department of Health; Ministry of Justice (except elections); Department for Culture, Media and Sport; Department for Children, Schools and Families; Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and other allocated clients. Division C supports the Advocate General in his work on devolution issues, as they arise in criminal and civil cases before the Courts. Division C also provides litigation services for all Departments advised by Division B and to any other allocated client.
For information on contacting the Office of Solicitor to the Advocate General, click on Contacts . For information on Service of Documents on the Advocate General, click Service of Documents.