Scotland Act 1998

Part I U.K. The protected provisions

Particular enactments U.K.

1 (1) An Act of the Scottish Parliament cannot modify, or confer power by subordinate legislation to modify, any of the following provisions. U.K.

(2) The provisions are—

(a) Articles 4 and 6 of the M1 Union with Scotland Act 1706 and of the M2 Union with England Act 1707 so far as they relate to freedom of trade,

(b) the M3 Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act 1936,

(c) the following provisions of the M4 European Communities Act 1972—

• Section 1 and Schedule 1,

• Section 2, other than subsection (2), the words following “such Community obligation” in subsection (3) and the words “subject to Schedule 2 to this Act” in subsection (4),

• Section 3(1) and (2),

• Section 11(2),

(d) paragraphs 5(3)(b) and 15(4)(b) of Schedule 32 to the M5 Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 (designation of enterprise zones),

(e) sections 140A to 140G of the M6 Social Security Administration Act 1992 (rent rebate and rent allowance subsidy and council tax benefit),

(f) the M7 Human Rights Act 1998.

Marginal Citations

M1 1706 c. 11.

M2 1707 c. 7(S).

M3 1936 c. 52.

M4 1972 c. 68.

M5 1980 c. 65.

M6 1992 c. 5.

M7 1998 c. 42.

The law on reserved matters U.K.

2 (1) An Act of the Scottish Parliament cannot modify, or confer power by subordinate legislation to modify, the law on reserved matters. U.K.

(2) In this paragraph, “the law on reserved matters” means—

(a) any enactment the subject-matter of which is a reserved matter and which is comprised in an Act of Parliament or subordinate legislation under an Act of Parliament, and

(b) any rule of law which is not contained in an enactment and the subject-matter of which is a reserved matter,

and in this sub-paragraph “Act of Parliament” does not include this Act.

(3) Sub-paragraph (1) applies in relation to a rule of Scots private law or Scots criminal law (whether or not contained in an enactment) only to the extent that the rule in question is special to a reserved matter or the subject-matter of the rule is—

(a) interest on sums due in respect of taxes or excise duties and refunds of such taxes or duties, or

(b) the obligations, in relation to occupational or personal pension schemes, of the trustees or managers [F1 or]

[F1 (c) the obligations under an order made by virtue of section 12A(2) or (3) of the Family Law (Scotland) Act 1985 M8 (orders relating to pensions lump sums) of the person responsible for a pension arrangement other than an occupational or personal pension scheme; or

F1 (d) the obligations under Chapter I of Part IV of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 M9 (sharing of rights under pension arrangements) of the person responsible for such a pension arrangement; or

F1 (e) the effect of Chapter II of Part IV of that Act of 1999 (sharing of rights in state pension schemes) as read with Part II of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 M10 (contributory benefits).]

[F2 (4) In sub paragraph (3)(c) “pension arrangement” and “person responsible for a pension arrangement” have the same meaning as in section 27(1) of the Family Law (Scotland) Act 1985.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 2(3)(c)-(e) and the word preceding it inserted (13.7.2000) by S.I. 2000/1831, art. 2(a)

F2 Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 2(4) substituted (13.7.2000) by S.I. 2000/1831, art. 2(b)

Marginal Citations

M8 1985 c.37. Section 12A was inserted by the Pensions Act 1995 (c.26), section 167.

M9 1999 c.30.

M10 1992 c.4.

3 (1) Paragraph 2 does not apply to modifications which— U.K.

(a) are incidental to, or consequential on, provision made (whether by virtue of the Act in question or another enactment) which does not relate to reserved matters, and

(b) do not have a greater effect on reserved matters than is necessary to give effect to the purpose of the provision.

(2) In determining for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(b) what is necessary to give effect to the purpose of a provision, any power to make laws other than the power of the Parliament is to be disregarded.

This Act U.K.

4 (1) An Act of the Scottish Parliament cannot modify, or confer power by subordinate legislation to modify, this Act. U.K.

(2) This paragraph does not apply to modifying sections 1(4), 17(5), 19(7), 21(5), 24(2), 28(5), 39(7), 40 to 43, 50, 69(3), 85 [F3 , 93 and 97] and paragraphs 4(1) to (3) and 6(1) of Schedule 2.

[F4 (2A) This paragraph does not apply to any modifications of sections 11, 12, 12A and 113, and Schedule 7—

(a) for the purpose of reducing the minimum voting age to 16 at elections to the Parliament or local government elections (or both), or in consequence of any such provision, or

(b) for the purpose of making provision about the registration of electors in order to give effect to provision reducing the minimum voting age at those elections to 16, or in consequence of any such provision about the registration of electors, including—

(i) provision for disregarding alterations in a register of electors,

(ii) provision about, or for purposes connected with, the content of a register or the effect of registration, and

(iii) provision about supplying or otherwise dealing with a register,

but not including provision about the use of the digital service for applications for registration or for verifying information contained in applications for registration.

(2B) In sub-paragraph (2A) “digital service” has the meaning given by regulation 3(1) of the Representation of the People (Scotland) Regulations 2001 , as that regulation had effect on the date on which the Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedules 4 and 5 and Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc. ) Order 2015 ( S.I. 2015/692 ) came into force. ]

[F5 (2C) This paragraph does not apply to modifying section 2(2) in relation to the first ordinary general election for membership of the Parliament after 2016.]

(3) This paragraph does not apply to modifying any provision of this Act (other than sections 64(7), 66(2), 71(7), 77, 78 and 119) which—

(a) charges any sum on the Scottish Consolidated Fund,

(b) requires any sum to be paid out of that Fund without further approval, F6 . . .

[F7 (c) requires any sum to be payable out of that Fund, or

(d)] requires or authorises the payment of any sum into that Fund.

(4) This paragraph does not apply to any modifications of Part III which are necessary or expedient for the purpose or in consequence of the establishment of a new fund, in addition to the Scottish Consolidated Fund, out of which loans may be made by the Scottish Ministers.

(5) This paragraph does not apply to—

(a) modifying so much of any enactment as is modified by this Act,

(b) repealing so much of any provision of this Act as amends any enactment, if the provision ceases to have effect in consequence of any enactment comprised in or made under an Act of the Scottish Parliament.

Textual Amendments

F3 Words in Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 4(2) substituted (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1749, arts. 1, 2(1); S.I. 1998/3178, art. 3

F4 Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 4(2A)(2B) inserted (20.3.2015) by The Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedules 4 and 5 and Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc.) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/692), arts. 2, 3

F5 Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 4(2C) inserted (9.10.2015) by The Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedules 4 and 5) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1764), arts. 1(2), 2

F6 Words in Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 4(3)(b)(c) left out (13.7.2000) by virtue of S.I. 2000/1831, art. 3

F7 Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 4(c) and word “(d)” inserted (13.7.2000) by S.I. 2000/1831, art. 3

F8 4A S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F8 Sch. 4 para. 4A omitted (3.7.2012) by virtue of Scotland Act 2012 (c. 11), ss. 14(3), 44(5) (with s. 14(5)); S.I. 2012/1710, art. 2(g)

Enactments modified by this Act U.K.

5 U.K. An Act of the Scottish Parliament cannot modify, or confer power by subordinate legislation to modify—

(a) the effect of section 119(3) in relation to any provision of an Act of Parliament relating to judicial salaries,

(b) so much of any enactment as—

(i) is amended by paragraph 2, 7 or 32 of Schedule 8, and

(ii) relates to the Advocate General,

(c) so much of any enactment as is amended by paragraph 9(b) or 29 of Schedule 8.

Shared powers U.K.

6 U.K. An Act of the Scottish Parliament cannot modify, or confer power by subordinate legislation to modify, any enactment so far as the enactment relates to powers exercisable by a Minister of the Crown by virtue of section 56.