Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971

18 Secretary of State may exercise certain functions of sheriff principal in certain circumstances

If in any case the Secretary of State considers—

(a) that the exercise by the sheriff principal of any sheriffdom of any of the functions conferred on him by sections 15 to 17 of this Act, or

(b) that the failure of the sheriff principal of any sheriffdom to exercise any of the said functions,

is prejudicial to the speedy and efficient disposal of business in the sheriff courts of that sheriffdom or to the efficient organisation or administration of the sheriff courts generally, or is otherwise against the interests of the public, the Secretary of State may—

(i) (in the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (a) above) rescind that exercise of that function by the sheriff principal and, if he thinks fit, himself exercise that function in that case ;

(ii) (in the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (b) above) himself exercise that function in that case, and the exercise of any function of a sheriff principal by the Secretary of State under this section shall have effect as if it were an exercise of that function by the sheriff principal.