[2] In 1579, the Scottish Parliament passed an act which made individual parishes responsible for enumerating their own poor.
More than merely enumerate, the purpose of the law was an "inquisition" into the circumstances of the individual poverty, so as to determine whether the poor were able to work, whether they had any other means of subsistence, and whether there were other persons, family or others, who might assist them.
In 1672, magistrates were ordered to build correction houses or workhouses[4] so that beggars could be made to work.
In 1843, a commission of inquiry was set up to suggest improvements to the Scottish poor law system.
[10] Unlike in England, the Scottish pauper had a legal right to appeal if they were denied poor relief.