2012 No. 1710 (C. 67)
Constitutional Law
Devolution, Scotland

The Scotland Act 2012 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2012

Made
The Secretary of State makes the following Order in exercise of the power conferred by section 44(5) of the Scotland Act 20121.

Citation and interpretation1.

(1)

This Order may be cited as the Scotland Act 2012 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2012.

(2)

In this Order, “the Act” means the Scotland Act 2012.

Appointed day of 3rd July 20122.

The day appointed for the coming into force of the following provisions of the Act is 3rd July 2012—

(a)

section 4 (Presiding Officer and deputies);

(b)

section 5 (Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body);

(c)

section 7 (members’ interests);

(d)

section 9 (continued effect of provisions ceasing to be within legislative competence);

(e)

section 10 (air weapons);

(f)

section 12 (the Scottish Government);

(g)

section 14 (time limit for human rights actions against Scottish Ministers);

(h)

section 15 (power to vary retrospective decisions about non-legislative acts);

(i)

section 16 (BBC Trust member for Scotland);

(j)

section 20 (power to prescribe drink-driving limits);

(k)

section 21 (speed limits); and

(l)

section 22 (speed limits: supplementary).

Appointed day of 15th October 20123.

The day appointed for the coming into force of section 6 (Bills: statements as to legislative competence) of the Act is 15th October 2012.

Michael Moore
Secretary of State for Scotland
Scotland Office

Dover House

London

EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Order)

Article 2 of this Order commences various provisions of the Scotland Act 2012 on 3rd July 2012. The provisions include those which devolve legislative competence to the Scottish Parliament in relation to the regulation of air weapons (section 10), rename the Scottish Executive as the Scottish Government (section 12) and devolve executive competence in respect of certain speed limits (section 21) and the prescribed alcohol limit which applies when driving in Scotland.

Article 3 of this Order commences section 6 of the Scotland Act 2012 on 15th October 2012. Section 6 amends when a statement of legislative competence is required before the introduction of a Bill in the Scottish Parliament.