General provisions
Section 14: Ancillary power
41.This section allows the Scottish Ministers, by regulations, to make standalone ancillary provision in relation to the Act, once enacted, or any provision made under it. Any regulations making ancillary provision which textually amends primary legislation will be subject to the affirmative procedure;(7) otherwise, any regulations making ancillary provision under this power will be subject to the negative procedure(8) (see subsections (2) and (3)).
Section 15: Interpretation
42.This section defines words and expressions that are used in the Act.
Section 16: Crown application
43.The Act will apply to the Crown by virtue of section 20 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010. In line with usual practice for Acts of the Scottish Parliament, this section (of this Act) has the effect that the Crown cannot be found criminally liable in terms of the offences created by the Act. However, through the mechanism in subsection (2), any unlawful conduct on the part of Crown bodies can be declared unlawful by the Court of Session. Subsection (3) has the effect that this section does not exempt civil servants etc. from criminal prosecution.
Section 17: Commencement
44.This section provides for the substantive provisions of the Act to come into force in accordance with regulations made by the Scottish Ministers. The regulations may make transitional, transitory or saving provision and may make different provision for different purposes.
Section 18: Short title
45.This section gives the Act its short title (being the name by which it may be formally cited). The short title of the Act is Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act 2024.
The affirmative procedure is defined by section 29 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.
The negative procedure is defined by section 28 of the Interpretation and Legislation Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.
