Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020

PART 1 Main provisions

Key expression

1 Meaning of “coronavirus”

In this Act, “coronavirus” means severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Eviction from dwelling-houses

2 Eviction from dwelling-houses

Schedule 1 contains temporary modifications to the law in relation to the eviction of tenants from dwelling-houses.

Protection for debtors

3 Temporary extension of moratoriums on diligence

Schedule 2 contains provision for a temporary extension of certain moratoriums on diligence provided for in Part 15 of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016.

Children and vulnerable adults

4 Children and vulnerable adults

Schedule 3 contains temporary modifications to the law in relation to children and vulnerable adults.

Justice

5 Justice

Schedule 4 contains temporary modifications to the law in relation to the justice system.

Alcohol licensing

6 Alcohol licensing

Schedule 5 contains temporary modifications to the law in relation to alcohol licensing.

Public bodies

7 Functioning of public bodies

Schedule 6 makes provision in relation to the functions of public bodies including temporary modifications of legislation.

Other measures in response to coronavirus

8 Other measures in response to coronavirus

Schedule 7 contains other temporary measures in response to coronavirus.

PART 2 Supporting provisions

9 Advancement of equality and non-discrimination

In exercising a function conferred by virtue of Part 1 (including a function of making subordinate legislation), the Scottish Ministers must have regard to opportunities to advance equality and non-discrimination.

10 Subordinate legislation making powers

Any power to make subordinate legislation conferred by virtue of Part 1 includes power to make—

(a) incidental, supplementary, consequential, transitional, transitory or saving provision,

(b) different provision for different purposes or areas.

11 Power to suspend and revive provisions

(1) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations—

(a) suspend the operation of any provision of Part 1,

(b) revive the operation of a provision so suspended.

(2) Sections 15 to 17 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 apply to the suspension of a provision by regulations under subsection (1)(a) as if the provision had been repealed by an Act.

(3) The powers in subsection (1) may be exercised more than once in relation to the same provision.

(4) Regulations under this section—

(a) may make different provision for different purposes or areas,

(b) may make transitional, transitory or saving provision.

(5) Regulations under this section are subject to the negative procedure.

12 Expiry

(1) Part 1 expires on 30 September 2020.

(2) Subsection (1) is subject to section 13.

(3) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations—

(a) amend subsection (1) so as to replace “30 September 2020” with “31 March 2021”,

(b) further amend subsection (1) so as to replace “31 March 2021” with “30 September 2021”.

(4) The power conferred by subsection (3)(b) may be used only after 30 September 2020.

(5) Regulations under subsection (3) are subject to the affirmative procedure.

(6) Before laying a draft Scottish statutory instrument containing regulations under subsection (3) before the Scottish Parliament in accordance with section 29(2) of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, the Scottish Ministers must lay before the Parliament a statement of their reasons why the regulations should be made.

(7) Subsection (8) applies if the regulations are made in accordance with paragraph 23 of schedule 7.

(8) The Scottish Ministers must, at the same time as laying the regulations before the Parliament in accordance with paragraph 26 of that schedule, lay before the Parliament a statement of their reasons for making the regulations.

(9) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations make transitional, transitory or saving provision in connection with the expiry under subsection (1) of any provision of this Act.

(10) Regulations under subsection (9)—

(a) may make different provision for different purposes or areas,

(b) are subject to the negative procedure.

13 Power to bring forward expiry

(1) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations provide that any provision of Part 1—

(a) does not expire at the time when it would otherwise expire (whether by virtue of section 12 or previous regulations under this section), and

(b) expires instead at such earlier time as is specified in the regulations.

(2) Regulations under this section—

(a) may make different provision for different purposes or areas,

(b) may make transitional, transitory or saving provision.

(3) Regulations under this section are subject to the negative procedure.

14 Power to amend Act in consequence of amendments to subordinate legislation

(1) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations modify any provision of this Act which modifies the effect of a provision of subordinate legislation.

(2) The power in subsection (1) may be exercised only if the modification is necessary in consequence of the modification of the provision of the subordinate legislation by other subordinate legislation.

(3) Regulations under subsection (1) may make transitional, transitory or saving provision.

(4) Regulations under subsection (1) must be laid before the Scottish Parliament as soon as reasonably practicable after they have been made.

(5) Regulations under subsection (1) cease to have effect at the end of the period of 28 days beginning with the day on which they are made unless, during that period, they are approved by resolution of the Scottish Parliament.

(6) In calculating the period of 28 days for the purpose of subsection (5), no account is to be taken of any period during which the Scottish Parliament is—

(a) in recess for more than 4 days, or

(b) dissolved.

(7) If regulations cease to have effect as a result of subsection (5), that does not—

(a) affect the validity of anything previously done under them, or

(b) prevent the making of new regulations.

15 Reports by the Scottish Ministers on status of provisions

(1) The Scottish Ministers must, in respect of each reporting period—

(a) undertake a review of the operation of the provisions of Part 1 with a view to considering whether those provisions remain necessary, and

(b) prepare a report on that review.

(2) A report prepared under subsection (1) must—

(a) set out how any powers conferred by the provisions of Part 1 have been exercised, and

(b) include—

(i) the status of the provisions of Part 1 (whether or not any power under a provision has been exercised), and

(ii) a statement that the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that the status of those provisions is appropriate.

(3) The references in subsection (2) to the “status” of a provision are to—

(a) whether the provision is in force at the end of the reporting period, and

(b) whether any power under the following provisions has been exercised by the Scottish Ministers in relation to it during that period (and, if so, which and how)—

(i) section 11 (regulations suspending or reviving provision),

(ii) section 13 (regulations altering expiry date of provision),

(iii) section 17(2) (regulations bringing provision into force).

(4) Each of the following is a “reporting period”—

(a) the period beginning with the day after Royal Assent and ending on 31 May 2020,

(b) each successive period of 2 months that ends during the period before Part 1 of this Act expires by virtue of section 12(1).

(5) The Scottish Ministers must lay each report prepared under subsection (1) before the Scottish Parliament no later than 14 days after the end of a reporting period.

16 Ancillary provision

(1) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations make any incidental, supplementary, consequential, transitional, transitory or saving provision they consider appropriate for the purposes of, or in connection with, or for giving full effect to this Act or any provision made under it.

(2) Without prejudice to section 6 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, the Scottish Ministers may by regulations modify any regulations made under subsection (1) in consequence of—

(a) the exercise of a power under section 11,

(b) the expiry of a provision of this Act under section 12,

(c) the exercise of a power under section 13.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) may make transitional, transitory or saving provision.

(4) Regulations under this section—

(a) may modify the effect of any enactment (including this Act),

(b) are subject to the negative procedure.

17 Commencement

(1) This Act comes into force on the day after Royal Assent, subject to subsection (2).

(2) Paragraph 11(1) of schedule 3 (and section 4 so far as it relates to that paragraph) comes into force on such day as the Scottish Ministers may by regulations appoint.

(3) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations make transitional, transitory or saving provision in connection with the coming into force of any provision of this Act.

18 Short title

The short title of this Act is the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020.