Scotland Act 2012

14 Time limit for human rights actions against Scottish Ministers etc

(1) In section 100 of the 1998 Act the following (as inserted by the Convention Rights Proceedings (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2009) (asp 11) are omitted—

(a) subsections (3A) to (3E);

(b) in subsection (4), the words “Subject to subsection (3D),”.

(2) The Convention Rights Proceedings (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2009 (asp 11) is repealed.

(3) Omit paragraph 4A of Schedule 4 to the 1998 Act.

(4) The Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedule 4) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/1380) is revoked.

(5) Subsections (1) to (4) above do not apply to any proceedings brought before this section comes into force.

(6) After subsection (3) of section 100 of the 1998 Act insert—

“(3A) Subsection (3B) applies to any proceedings brought by virtue of this Act against the Scottish Ministers or a member of the Scottish Government in a court or tribunal on the ground that an act of the Scottish Ministers or a member of the Scottish Government is incompatible with the Convention rights.

(3B) Proceedings to which this subsection applies must be brought before the end of—

(a) the period of one year beginning with the date on which the act complained of took place, or

(b) such longer period as the court or tribunal considers equitable having regard to all the circumstances,

but that is subject to any rule imposing a stricter time limit in relation to the procedure in question.

(3C) Subsection (3B) does not apply to proceedings brought by the Lord Advocate, the Advocate General, the Attorney General, the Attorney General for Northern Ireland or the Advocate General for Northern Ireland.

(3D) In subsections (3A) and (3B) “act” does not include the making of any legislation but it does include any other act or failure to act (including a failure to make legislation).

(3E) In subsection (3B) “rule” has the same meaning as it has in section 7(5) of the Human Rights Act 1998.”

(7) In subsection (4) of that section at the beginning insert “Subject to subsection (3D),”.

(8) Subsections (6) and (7) above apply to any proceedings brought after this section comes into force (including proceedings in respect of an act taking place before this section comes into force).