8[F1Involvement of the Chief Inspector]S
(1)The education authority must send to [F2the Chief Inspector] —
(a)when published, a copy of the proposal paper,
(b)as regards any relevant written representations received by the authority (from any person) during the consultation period—
(i)a copy of them, or
(ii)if [F3the Chief Inspector agrees], a summary of them,
(c)a summary of any oral representations made to it (by any person) at the public meeting,
(d)as available (and so far as otherwise practicable), a copy of any other relevant documentation.
(2)[F4The Chief Inspector is] to prepare a report on the educational aspects of the relevant proposal.
(3)In preparing the report, [F5the Chief Inspector] may—
(a)enter any affected school and make such reasonable enquiries of such persons there as [F6the Chief Inspector considers] appropriate, and
(b)make such reasonable enquiries of such other persons as [F7the Chief Inspector considers] appropriate.
(4)In preparing the report, [F8the Chief Inspector is] to have regard (in particular) to—
(a)the educational benefits statement,
(b)the things sent to [F9the Chief Inspector] under subsection (1)(b) and (c),
(c)any written representations made (by any person) direct to [F10the Chief Inspector] on any educational aspect of the proposal so far as [F11the Chief Inspector considers] them to be relevant.
(5)[F12the Chief Inspector] must submit the report to the education authority—
(a)not later than 3 weeks after the authority has complied with subsection (1) (which 3 week period may not start during the consultation period), or
(b)within such longer period as is agreed between them.
(6)In this Act, “[F13the Chief Inspector’s] report” is the report prepared under subsection (2).
(7)In this Act, a reference to “ [F14the Chief Inspector] ” is a reference to [F15His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland].
Textual Amendments
F1Cross-heading substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(6); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F2Words in s. 8(1) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(a)(i); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F3Words in s. 8(1)(b)(ii) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(a)(ii); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F4Words in s. 8(2) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(b); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F5Words in s. 8(3) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(c)(i); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F6Words in s. 8(3)(a) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(c)(ii); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F7Words in s. 8(3)(b) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(c)(iii); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F8Words in s. 8(4) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(d)(i); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F9Words in s. 8(4)(b) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(d)(ii); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F10Words in s. 8(4)(c) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(d)(iii), (A); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F11Words in s. 8(4)(c) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(d)(iii), (B); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F12Words in s. 8(5) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(e); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F13Words in s. 8(6) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(f); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F14Words in s. 8(7) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(g)(i); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
F15Words in s. 8(7) substituted (1.3.2026) by Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 11), s. 66(2), sch. 4 para. 24(5)(g)(ii); S.S.I. 2026/2, reg. 2(4)(5), sch. Pt. 2 (with reg. 9)
Commencement Information
I1S. 8 in force at 5.4.2010 by S.S.I. 2010/70, art. 2