Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021

31 Application period

(1) For the purpose of this Act, the application period during which an application for a redress payment may be made—

(a) begins on the day this section comes into force, and

(b) ends with whichever is the later of—

(i) the expiry of the period of 5 years beginning with that day,

(ii) the day falling 2 years after the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (established under the Inquiries Act 2005) publishes its final report.

(2) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations modify paragraph (b) of subsection (1) so as to extend the application period for the time being specified in that subsection.

(3) The Scottish Ministers must, within the period of 15 months ending with the day the application period is due to end under subsection (1)(b), carry out a review of whether the application period should be extended.

(4) But subsection (3) does not apply if, at the beginning of the 15 month period—

(a) the application period has already been extended by regulations under subsection (2), or

(b) a draft Scottish statutory instrument containing regulations under subsection (2) has been laid and is before the Scottish Parliament for approval.

(5) As soon as reasonably practicable following completion of a review under subsection (3), the Scottish Ministers must—

(a) publish the findings of the review,

(b) lay the findings of the review before the Scottish Parliament.