Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016 Explanatory Notes

1. Introduction

2. The 2016 Act

3. Commentary on Sections

   1. Inquiries into certain deaths

      1. Section 1 - Inquiries under this Act

   2. Inquiries into deaths occurring in Scotland

      1. Section 2 - Mandatory inquiries

      2. Section 3 – Mandatory inquiries: exceptions

      3. Section 4 – Discretionary inquiries

      4. Section 5 – Certain deaths and accidents to be treated as occurring in Scotland

   3. Inquiries into deaths occurring abroad

      1. Section 6 – Inquiries into deaths occurring abroad: general

      2. Section 7 – Inquiries into deaths occurring abroad: service personnel

   4. Family liaison charter

      1. Section 8 – Family liaison charter

   5. Reasons where inquiry not held

      1. Section 9 – Reasons for decision not to hold an inquiry

   6. Procurator fiscal’s investigation

      1. Section 10 – Citation of witnesses for precognition

   7. Participants

      1. Section 11 – Persons who may participate in the inquiry

   8. Location

      1. Section 12 – Places at which inquiries may be held

      2. Section 13 – Jurisdiction in relation to inquiries

   9. Inquiries into multiple deaths

      1. Section 14 – Inquiry into more than one death

   10. Pre-inquiry procedure

       1. Section 15 – Initiating the inquiry

       2. Section 16 – Preliminary hearings

       3. Section 17 – Notice of the inquiry

       4. Section 18 – Agreement of facts before an inquiry

   11. The inquiry

       1. Section 19 – The powers of the sheriff

       2. Section 20 – Evidence and witnesses

       3. Section 21 – Inquiry to be conducted in public

       4. Section 22 – Publishing restrictions in relation to children

       5. Section 23 – Offences by bodies corporate etc.

       6. Section 24 – Assessors

       7. Section 25 – Expenses

   12. Findings and recommendations

       1. Section 26 – The sheriff’s determination

       2. Section 27 – Dissemination of the sheriff’s determination

       3. Section 28 – Compliance with sheriff’s recommendations

       4. Section 29 – Reports

   13. Further inquiry proceedings

       1. Section 30 – Circumstances in which there may be further proceedings

       2. Section 31 – Precognition of witnesses

       3. Section 32 – Initiating further proceedings

       4. Section 33 – Re-opened inquiries

       5. Section 34 – Fresh inquiries

       6. Section 35 – Further proceedings: compliance with recommendations

   14. Inquiry procedure rules

       1. Section 36 – Power to regulate procedure etc.

   15. Specialist sheriffs and summary sheriffs

       1. Section 37 – Judicial specialisation in inquiries

       2. Section 38 – Summary sheriff: competence to conduct inquiries

       3. Section 39 – Repeal and modification of enactments

   16. General

       1. Section 40 – Interpretation

   17. Schedule 1 – Procedure rules

       1. Role of the Scottish Civil Justice Council

   18. Schedule 2 – Modification of enactments

4. Parliamentary History