Scottish Parliamentary Commissions and Commissioners etc. Act 2010

29 Standardising and other amendments

(1) The enactments referred to in subsections (2) to (11) have effect subject to the amendments there provided for, being amendments which—

(a) standardise certain provisions in those enactments,

(b) extend and qualify the functions of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, but

(c) are not limited to amendments for those purposes.

(2) The Ethical Standards Act is amended in accordance with schedule 2.

(3) The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002 (asp 11) is amended in accordance with schedule 3.

(4) The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 13) is amended in accordance with schedule 4.

(5) The Parliamentary Standards Act is amended in accordance with subsections (6) and (7).

(6) Sections 13(8) (payment of witnesses' allowances and expenses) and 18 (annual report) are repealed.

(7) In section 17(1) (protection from actions of defamation)—

(a) in paragraph (a), after “Commissioner” there is inserted “or any of the employees of the Commission for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland”, and

(b) in paragraph (b), after “Commissioner” there is inserted “or any of those employees”.

(8) The Public Appointments Act is amended in accordance with subsection (9).

(9) After section 3(2) (paragraph (b) of which gives Scottish Ministers power to confer functions on or remove them from the Public Appointments Commissioner for Scotland) there is inserted—

“(2A) Before making an order under subsection (2)(b), the Scottish Ministers must consult the Parliamentary corporation.”

(10) The Commissioner for Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 17) is amended in accordance with schedule 5.

(11) The Scottish Commission for Human Rights Act 2006 (asp 16) is amended in accordance with schedule 6.