Scotland Bill

House of Commons

Session 2010 - 11
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Other Bills before Parliament

Scotland Bill

Scotland Bill
Part 1 — The Parliament and its powers
1

A
Bill
To
Amend the Scotland Act 1998 and make provision about the functions of the
Scottish Ministers; and for connected purposes.
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
Part 1
The Parliament and its powers
The Scottish Parliament
1
Administration of elections
(1)
Section 12 of the 1998 Act (power to make provision about elections) is
5
amended as follows.
(2)
In subsection (1)—
(a)
for “Secretary of State” substitute “Scottish Ministers”;
(b)
after paragraph (a) insert “and”;
(c)
omit paragraph (c) and the “and” before it.
10
(3)
In subsection (2)—
(a)
after “subsection (1)(a)” insert “does not include provision that may be
made by the Secretary of State under section 12A but, subject to that,”;
(b)
for paragraph (a) substitute—
“(a)
about supplying or otherwise dealing with a register of
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electors,”;
(c)
omit paragraph (b);
(d)
after paragraph (c) insert “and”;
(e)
in paragraph (d) after “other elections” insert “, if the conduct of the
other election falls within the legislative competence of the
20
Parliament.”;
(f)
omit paragraphs (e) and (f).

Bill 115
55/1

Scotland Bill
Part 1 — The Parliament and its powers
2

(4)
Omit subsection (3).
(5)
In subsection (4) omit paragraphs (b) and (c).
(6)
In subsection (6) for “Secretary of State” substitute “Scottish Ministers”.
(7)
After that subsection insert—
“(7)
Before making an order under this section the Scottish Ministers must
5
consult the Secretary of State.”
(8)
In the heading of the section after “Power” insert “of the Scottish Ministers”.
(9)
After that section insert—
“12A
Power of the Secretary of State to make provision about elections
(1)
The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision—
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(a)
about the registration of electors,
(b)
for modifying the application of section 7(1) where the poll at an
election for the return of a constituency member is abandoned
(or notice of it is countermanded),
(c)
for modifying section 8(7) to ensure the allocation of the correct
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number of seats for the region, and
(d)
as to the return of members of the Parliament otherwise than at
an election.
(2)
The provision that may be made under subsection (1)(a) includes—
(a)
provision for disregarding alterations in a register of electors,
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and
(b)
other provision about, or for purposes connected with, the
content of a register or the effect of registration,

but subject to that it does not include provision about supplying or
otherwise dealing with a register.
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(3)
The provision that may be made under subsection (1)(d) includes, in
particular, provision modifying section 10(4) and (5).
(4)
Regulations under subsection (1) may—
(a)
apply, with or without modifications or exceptions, any
provision made by or under the Representation of the People
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Acts or the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 or by
any other enactment relating to parliamentary elections,
European Parliamentary elections or local government
elections, and
(b)
so far as may be necessary in consequence of any provision
35
made by this Act or regulations under subsection (1), modify
any provision made by any enactment relating to the
registration of parliamentary electors or local government
electors.”
2
Combination of polls at Scottish Parliamentary and other reserved elections
40
(1)
Section 15 of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (combination of polls at
parliamentary, European Parliamentary and local elections) is amended as
follows.

Scotland Bill
Part 1 — The Parliament and its powers
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(2)
In subsection (1)—
(a)
after paragraph (b) omit “or”;
(b)
after paragraph (c) insert—
“(d)
a Scottish Parliamentary general election and a
parliamentary general election; or
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(e)
a Scottish Parliamentary general election and a
European Parliamentary general election,”.
(3)
In subsection (3), after “includes” insert “Scottish Parliamentary elections and”.
(4)
In the heading of the section before “European” insert “Scottish
Parliamentary,”.
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3
Supplementary and transitional provision about elections
(1)
Schedule 7 to the 1998 Act is amended as follows.
(2)
In paragraph 1—
(a)
in the entry for section 12(1) for “Type C” substitute “Type L”;
(b)
after that entry insert—
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“Section 12A
Type C”.

(3)
In paragraph 2 at the end insert—
“Type L: The instrument containing the legislation shall be subject
to the affirmative procedure.”
(4)
In section 7 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000
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(Electoral Commission to be consulted on changes to electoral law), in
subsection (2)(g) after “12(1) or (6)” insert “or regulations under section
12A(1)”.
(5)
In section 8 of that Act (powers with respect to elections exercisable only on
Commission recommendation) in subsection (2) for “the Secretary of State”
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substitute “the person on whom the function is conferred”.
(6)
An order made before the commencement of section 1 under section 12(1) of
the 1998 Act has effect after that commencement as if made by the Scottish
Ministers, to the extent that they would have power to do so.
(7)
To the extent that subsection (6) does not apply, any provision of such an
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order—
(a)
continues to have effect, but
(b)
may be revoked by regulations under section 12A(1).
(8)
A reference to the Secretary of State in such an order is to be read as a reference
to the Scottish Ministers.
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(9)
Without prejudice to subsections (6) to (8), section 1 does not affect the validity
of anything done by or in relation to a Minister of the Crown before that section
comes into force.
(10)
Anything (including legal proceedings) which, at the time when that section
comes into force, is in the process of being done by or in relation to a Minister
40
of the Crown under an order under section 12(1) may be continued by or in
relation to the Scottish Ministers.

Scotland Bill
Part 1 — The Parliament and its powers
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(11)
Anything done by or in relation to a Minister of the Crown for the purposes of
or in connection with a function under such an order, if in force at the time
when section 1 comes into force, has effect as if done by or in relation to the
Scottish Ministers in so far as that is required for continuing its effect after that
time.
5
4
Presiding Officer and deputies
(1)
Section 19 of the 1998 Act (Presiding Officer) is amended as follows.
(2)
In subsection (1), omit “at its first meeting”.
(3)
After subsection (1) insert—
“(1A)
The Parliament must do so—
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(a)
before it conducts any other proceedings, except the taking by
its members of the oath of allegiance (see section 84), and
(b)
in any event, within the period of 14 days beginning
immediately after the day of the poll at the election.
(1B)
The Parliament may, at any time, elect from among its members one or
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more additional deputies.”
(4)
After subsection (2) insert—
“(2A)
But standing orders may make provision for additional deputies to
hold office for a shorter time than provided by subsection (2).”
(5)
In subsection (3), after “deputy” insert “elected under subsection (1)”.
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(6)
In Schedule 3 to that Act (standing orders), for paragraph 5 substitute—
“5    (1)
The standing orders shall include provision for ensuring that the
available officers do not all represent the same political party.
      (2)
The available officers are—
(a)
the Presiding Officer and the deputies appointed under
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section 19(1), except in the case where one or more of them is
unable to act and there is at least one additional deputy;
(b)
in that case, such of the Presiding Officer and deputies as are
for the time being able to act.”
5
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
30
In section 21 of the 1998 Act (Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body) in
subsection (2)(b) before “four” insert “at least”.
6
Bills: statements as to legislative competence

In section 31(1) of the 1998 Act (statement by member of the Parliament in
charge of a Bill), for “A member of the Scottish Executive” substitute “A
35
person”.
7
Partial suspension of Acts subject to scrutiny by Supreme Court
(1)
The 1998 Act is amended as follows.

Scotland Bill
Part 1 — The Parliament and its powers
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(2)
Section 32 (submission of Bills for Royal Assent) is amended as follows.
(3)
In subsection (2)(b) for “any such reference has been made” substitute “a
general reference has been made in relation to the Bill under section 33”.
(4)
In subsection (3)(b) for “a reference” substitute “a general reference”.
(5)
In section 33 (scrutiny of Bills by the Supreme Court), after subsection (3)
5
insert—
“(4)
A person who makes a reference shall notify the Presiding Officer of it.
(5)
A person who makes a reference may specify in it any provisions of the
Bill which that person considers are unaffected by the reference (the
“unaffected provisions”).
10
(6)
In this Act—
“limited reference” means a reference under subsection (1) in
which unaffected provisions are specified;
“general reference” means any other reference under that
subsection.”
15
(6)
After section 33 insert—
“33A
Effect of limited reference under section 33 to Supreme Court
(1)
This section applies where the Advocate General, the Lord Advocate or
the Attorney General makes a limited reference in relation to a Bill for
an Act of the Scottish Parliament.
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(2)
The provisions of the Act which are affected by the reference do not
come into force (despite any provision made by or under the Act)
except in accordance with an order made by the Scottish Ministers
under subsection (6).
(3)
For the purposes of this section all the provisions of the Act are affected
25
by the reference, except those specified in the reference as the
unaffected provisions.
(4)
The Presiding Officer shall publish notice of the reference and of the
effect of subsection (2)—
(a)
in the Edinburgh Gazette, and
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(b)
in such other ways as the Presiding Officer considers
appropriate.
(5)
The Queen’s Printer for Scotland may publish notice of the reference
and of the effect of subsection (2) in such ways as the Queen’s Printer
for Scotland considers appropriate.
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(6)
If the Supreme Court decides that any provisions of the Act affected by
the reference are within the legislative competence of the Parliament,
the provisions come into force in accordance with an order made by the
Scottish Ministers under this subsection.
(7)
Subsection (6) applies—
40
(a)
despite any provision made by or under the Act, but
(b)
subject to any order made by the Court regarding the coming
into force of the provisions in question.

Scotland Bill
Part 1 — The Parliament and its powers
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(8)
The Court may in particular—
(a)
order that any provision is not to come into force until such time
as the Court appoints;
(b)
prohibit the Scottish Ministers from making an order under
subsection (6) until such time as the Court appoints;
5
(c)
require such persons as the Court considers appropriate to take
such steps as the Court considers appropriate to bring the
Court’s judgment to the attention of persons affected by it.”
(7)
In section 34(1) (ECJ references), in paragraph (a) for “a reference” substitute “a
general reference”.
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(8)
In section 35(3) (period during which Secretary of State may intervene) in
paragraph (c) for “a reference” substitute “a general reference”.
(9)
In section 36(4) (opportunity for reconsideration of Bill), in paragraph (b) for “a
reference” substitute “a general reference”.
(10)
In Schedule 7 (procedure for subordinate legislation), in paragraph 1, at the
15
appropriate place insert—

“Section 33A(6)
Type J”.

8
Members’ interests
(1)
Section 39 of the 1998 Act (members’ interests) is amended as follows.
(2)
For subsections (5) to (7) substitute—
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“(4A)
Any requirement or prohibition (however expressed) imposed by
provision made in pursuance of subsections (2) to (4) may be subject to
such exceptions as are specified in the provision.
(5)
Provision may be made for—
(a)
excluding a member from the proceedings of the Parliament,
25
(b)
imposing on a member such other sanctions as the Parliament
considers appropriate,

if the member fails to comply with, or contravenes, any provision made
in pursuance of subsections (2) to (4) or this subsection.
(5A)
Provision made under subsection (5) may include provision that a
30
sanction is not to be imposed in such circumstances as are specified in
the provision.
(6)
Provision made under subsection (5) may include provision that the
member is guilty of an offence.
(7)
A person guilty of such an offence is liable on summary conviction to a
35
fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.”
(3)
After the commencement of subsection (2), subsections (5) to (7) as originally
enacted continue to have effect until the coming into force of the first provision
made in pursuance of those subsections as substituted by subsection (2).