Scotland's Lord Advocate James Wolffe to step down

Scotland's most senior law officer will step down from his post, it was confirmed on Sunday. 

Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC will remain in office until his replacement is appointed. 

He will be joined by Alison Di Rollo, the Solicitor General, who intends to stand down at the same time. 

Both are members of the Scottish Government but were not named in Nicola Sturgeon’s line-up following her cabinet announcement last week.

The responsibility to nominate new law officers rests with the First Minister, subject to approval by the Scottish Parliament. 

A Scottish Government statement said: "The Lord Advocate informed the First Minister last year that he intended to leave office following the recent election and confirmed his intention before her re-election by the Scottish Parliament as First Minister. 

"The Solicitor General has confirmed her intention to stand down at the same time.

"It is for the First Minister to nominate new law officers and, subject to approval of her nominees by the Scottish Parliament, to recommend their appointment to Her Majesty the Queen.

"The current law officers intend to remain in office until the new law officers are appointed."

Wolffe's tenure has not been without controversy. He and the Crown Office had been criticised over their role during the Salmond inquiry. 

The ex-first minister said in February that the Lord Advocate should be considering his position.

Wolffe said any accusations that the Crown interefered with the committee investigating the Scottish Government’s handling of harassment complaints were “wholly without foundation”.

Providing evidence to the committee in March, Wolffe said the Crown approached the parliament about the publication of a submission from Salmond after concerns had been raised.

He said it was the parliament’s decision to remove and redact parts of that submission, but it was “right” to do so. He insisted any suggestion the Crown was seeking to limit the committee in its inquiry was “incorrect”.

Following confirmation Wolffe and Di Rollo would be departing, Liam McArthur, Scottish Liberal Democrats justice spokesman, said the Lord Advocate's role should be split. 

He said: "I would like to thank James Wolffe and Alison Di Rollo for their dedicated service. These are complex and difficult roles and they deserve credit for the work that they have done.

"With the departure of the Lord Advocate this is an opportunity to consider how the role works going forward.

"Scottish Liberal Democrats believe that now is the time to separate the Lord Advocate's position as the Scottish Government's legal advisor and appoint an independent director of prosecutions to run the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service."