Friendly Societies Act 1992

3 (1) The following provisions have effect with respect to the execution of documents by an incorporated friendly society under the law of Scotland. U.K.

(2) For any purpose other than those mentioned in sub-paragraph (3) below, a document is validly executed by an incorporated friendly society if it is signed on behalf of the society by a member of the committee of management or by the secretary of the society or by a person authorised to sign the document on its behalf.

(3) For the purposes of any enactment or rule of law relating to the authentication of documents under the law of Scotland, a document is validly executed by an incorporated friendly society if it is subscribed on behalf of the society by—

(a) 2 members of the committee of management of the society;

(b) a member of that committee and the secretary of the society; or

(c) 2 persons authorised to subscribe the document on behalf of the society,

notwithstanding that such subscription is not attested by witnesses and the document is not sealed with the society’s common seal.

(4) A document which bears to be executed by an incorporated friendly society in accordance with sub-paragraph (3) above is, in relation to such execution, a probative document.

(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, an incorporated friendly society need not have a common seal.

(6) For the purposes of any enactment providing for a document to be executed by an incorporated friendly society by affixing its common seal or referring (in whatever terms) to a document so executed, a document signed or subscribed on behalf of the society by—

(a) 2 members of the committee of management of the society;

(b) a member of the committee and the secretary of the society; or

(c) 2 persons authorised to subscribe the document on behalf of the society,

shall have effect as if executed under the common seal of the society.

(7) In this paragraph “enactment” includes an enactment contained in a statutory instrument.

(8) Sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) above are—

(a) without prejudice to any other method of execution of documents by incorporated friendly societies permitted by any enactment or rule of law; and

(b) subject to any other enactment making express provision, in relation to incorporated friendly societies, as to the execution of a particular type of document.