(1)Subject to the provisions of this section, there shall, in Scotland, be a commission of the peace for each commission area; and the commission for any commission area shall be a commission under the Great Seal addressed generally, and not by name, to all such persons as may from time to time hold office as justices of the peace for the commission area.
(2)Justices of the peace for any commission area, other than stipendiary magistrates and ex officio justices, shall be appointed by name on behalf and in the name of Her Majesty by instrument under the hand of the Secretary of State, arid a justice so appointed shall only be removed from office in like manner.
(3)Subject to subsection (4) below and section 10 of this Act, a person shall not be appointed to hold office as a justice of the peace for any commission area under subsection (2) above and shall not act as a justice for that area unless he lives in or within 15 miles of that area.
(4)The residential requirements mentioned in subsection (3) above shall not apply in any case where it appears to the Secretary of State to be in the public interest that those requirements should not apply and he so directs ; and, where any such direction relates to the appointment of any person as a justice for any commission area, it shall have effect, and shall be treated for the purposes of this Act, as an instrument appointing that person to hold office as a justice for that area in accordance with subsection (2) above.
(5)A direction given under subsection (4) above may be made subject to such conditions as the Secretary of State thinks fit.
(6)Where a direction given under subsection (4) above is rescinded by a further direction and at that time the justice to whom it relates does not meet the residential requirements mentioned in subsection (3) above, that further direction shall have effect, and shall be treated for the purposes of this Act, as an instrument removing that person from office in accordance with subsection (2) above.
(7)Where a person appointed justice of the peace for any area is not qualified under the foregoing provisions of this section to act by virtue of the appointment, he shall be removed from office by an instrument under subsection (2) above, if the Secretary of State is of the opinion that the appointment ought not to continue having regard to the probable duration and other circumstances of the want of qualification.
(8)No appointment of a justice of the peace nor any act of a justice shall be invalidated by reason only of the fact that a justice of the peace so appointed or so acting does not meet the residential requirements mentioned in subsection (3) above, or does not comply with any condition imposed by the Secretary of State under subsection (5) above.
(9)There shall be kept and maintained by the Secretary of State—
(a)a record of all persons for the time being holding office as a justice of the peace ;
(b)the instruments of appointment (if any) of those persons;
(c)the instruments of removal (if any) of those who have held that office ; and
(d)the supplemental list provided for by section 15 below.
(10)The Secretary of State shall cause to be transmitted to the clerk of the peace for each commission area a copy of any instrument appointing or removing a justice of the peace for that area in accordance with subsection (2) above and notification of the names of any justices who have been transferred to the supplemental list.
(11)Subject to any express amendment or repeal made by this Act, any enactment passed or instrument made before the passing of this Act shall have effect on and after 16th May 1975 as if—
(a)any reference to a person appointed justice by a commission of the peace or to a person being removed from a commission of the peace were a reference to his being appointed or removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this Act; and
(b)any reference to a supplemental list in connection with the commission of peace for any area were a reference to the supplemental list kept by virtue of this Act.