Any person who sells or buys the goodwill F1. . .of a medical practice which it is unlawful to sell by virtue of section 35(1) is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction on indictment to a fine F2 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

Any person proposing to be a party to a transaction or series of transactions which he thinks might amount to a sale of the goodwill of a medical practice in contravention of section 35(1) may ask the F4Health Board which has arrangements with the practitioners of the medical practice for the provision by them of general medical services for a certificate under this paragraph.

F5That Health Board shall consider any such application, and, if they are satisfied that the transaction or series of transactions does not involve the giving of valuable consideration in respect of the goodwill, or any part of the goodwill F6. . . of such a medical practice, they shall issue to the applicant a certificate to that effect, which shall be in the prescribed form and shall set out all material circumstances disclosed to F7the Board.

Where any person is charged with an offence under this paragraph in respect of any transaction or series of transactions, it shall be a defence to the charge to prove that the transaction or series of transactions was certified by the F8Health Board under sub-paragraph (3).

Any document purporting to be such a certificate shall be admissible in evidence and shall be deemed to be such a certificate unless the contrary is proved.

If it appears to the court that the applicant for any such certificate failed to disclose to the F9Board all the material circumstances, or made any misrepresentation with respect thereto, the court may disregard the certificate, and sub-paragraph (4) shall not apply thereto.

F10A Health Board shall, at the request of the Lord Advocate, furnish him with a copy of any certificate issued by them under sub-paragraph (3), and with copies of any documents produced to them in connection with the application for that certificate.

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