Final provisions
Section 8 – commencement
57.This section sets out when the provisions of the Act will come into force (i.e. take effect).
58.The final sections (that is, sections 7 to 9) come into force automatically on the day after the Act receives Royal Assent. The other provisions of the Act (that is, the substantive provisions) will be commenced in accordance with regulations made by the Scottish Ministers under this section. Such regulations may include transitional, transitory or saving provision related to commencement and may make different provision for different purposes. However, the Act already includes some transitional provision in relation to the initial release of prisoners following commencement – see paragraph 3 of the schedule.
59.Regulations under this section will be laid before the Scottish Parliament but will not be subject to any parliamentary procedure (see section 30 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010).
