Scottish government rules out changes to lord advocate dual role

The Scottish government has ruled out changes to the dual role of the country's top law officer, despite recent controversy over the sharing of information relating to former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell. Opposition politicians criticised Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC after it emerged she had briefed First Minister John Swinney on Murrell's case. The Lord Advocate acts as head of Scotland's prosecution service but also has a ministerial role as chief legal advisor to the Scottish government. Following an independent review, which was commissioned before the row, Justice Secretary Angela Constance told MSPs the current position was appropriate. She added it would be up to the next Scottish administration to decide whether changes should be made. Responding to a written question, Constance confirmed the report was published on Tuesday. She added: "The report clearly sets out how and why the current system works and its considerable strengths. "Careful consideration would be required if there were to be any changes made to the ways in which the law officers' various functions were allocated. "As protected by the Scotland Act, the law officers operate with integrity and entirely i