apply only to promotions to the ranks below that of assistant chief constable, which are promotions the chief constable makes under section 11(3) of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (regulation 1(2));

define “constable” so as to apply to constables (other than the chief constable, other senior officers and special constables) of the Police Service of Scotland, including those on temporary service under section 15 or 16 of that Act (regulation 2(1));

require such constables to have obtained the qualifying diploma to qualify for promotion (regulation 3);

make provision in relation to the qualifying diploma, including eligibility to take the qualifying diploma course and the Scottish Ministers’ function of determining certain matters (subject to a consultation requirement) (regulations 4 and 10);

provide that promotion is to be by selection, and that qualification for promotion is not an entitlement to promotion (regulation 5);

require a constable, who is promoted to the rank of sergeant, to serve a period of probation in that rank, and authorise the chief constable to demote any such constable, during the period of probation, if satisfied that the constable is not likely to perform satisfactorily a sergeant’s duties (regulation 6);

provide for temporary promotion, both generally (regulation 7) and in relation to constables, holding the rank of constable, who are selected to participate in an Accelerated Promotion Programme (regulation 8);

recognise examinations passed in certain other UK police forces as relevant qualification for promotion in the Police Service of Scotland (regulation 9);

revoke the Police (Promotion) (Scotland) Regulations 1996 (“the 1996 Regulations”) and the enactments that have amended those Regulations (regulation 11(1) and Schedule 1); and

make transitional provisions, including provision that constables, who before 1st April 2013 were qualified for promotion under the 1996 Regulations, are taken to have obtained the qualifying diploma to qualify for promotion in the Police Service of Scotland; and that periods of probation served as a constable of a police force maintained under the Police (Scotland) Act 1967 for the purposes of the 1996 Regulations, continue to have effect as if they had been service on probation in the Police Service of Scotland for the purposes of these Regulations (regulation 11(2) and Schedule 2).