Local Government Board for Scotland
Encyclopedia
The Local Government Board for Scotland was the body charged with overseeing local government, public health and poor law
in Scotland
from 1894 to 1919.
. The new body took over the powers and duties of the Board of Supervision which had supervised poor law provision since 1845. The board had three ex officio members and three appointed members. The ex officio members were the Secretary for Scotland (who the President of the board), the Solicitor General for Scotland
and the Under-Secretary for Scotland. Of the three appointed members one was to be the vice-president of the board, the second a member of the Faculty of Advocates
of not less than three years standing, and the third a medical practitioner with a diploma in sanitary science or public health, or who had been the medical officer of a county or burgh for at least five years.
(2 Edw.7 C.8) it became compulsory for the board to approve the plans and site for any proposed crematoria.
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
from 1894 to 1919.
Establishment
The Board was established by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1894Local Government (Scotland) Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It created a Local Government Board for Scotland, and replaced existing parochial boards with parish councils....
. The new body took over the powers and duties of the Board of Supervision which had supervised poor law provision since 1845. The board had three ex officio members and three appointed members. The ex officio members were the Secretary for Scotland (who the President of the board), the Solicitor General for Scotland
Solicitor General for Scotland
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Government on Scots Law...
and the Under-Secretary for Scotland. Of the three appointed members one was to be the vice-president of the board, the second a member of the Faculty of Advocates
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
of not less than three years standing, and the third a medical practitioner with a diploma in sanitary science or public health, or who had been the medical officer of a county or burgh for at least five years.
Increased powers
The Public Health (Scotland) Act 1897 (60 & 61 Vict. C.38) made the LGBS the "central authority" for public health in Scotland. The board was empowered to carry out inquiries into the sanitary conditions of any district. These inquiries could be initiated by the board's own inspectors or by written application of a parish council or ten ratepayers of a district. The board was given the power to appoint commissioners to carry out inquiries, and legal penalties could be imposed on anybody refusing to respond to a summons issued by the board, or who gave false evidence to an inquiry. Under the Cremation Act 1902Cremation Act 1902
The Cremation Act 1902 was an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, given the royal assent on 22 July 1902. The major purpose of the Act was to allow burial authorities to establish crematoria...
(2 Edw.7 C.8) it became compulsory for the board to approve the plans and site for any proposed crematoria.