Details of Provisions
Paragraph 3(1) provides that the Sheriff Courts and Legal Officers (Scotland) Act 1927 is to be amended.
Paragraph 3(2) provides that in section 1(2) (appointment etc. of procurator fiscal), “with the consent of the Treasury” is omitted. The effect is that Treasury consent is not required for the fixing by the Lord Advocate of the number of procurators fiscal in Scotland or the limits of the districts for which they act.
Paragraph 3(3) provides that in section 2 (appointment of sheriff clerk and procurator fiscal deputes), “with the consent of the Treasury as to numbers and salaries” is omitted. The effect is that Treasury consent is not required as to the numbers and salaries of sheriff clerk deputes appointed by the Secretary of State or of procurator fiscal deputes by the Lord Advocate.
Paragraph 3(4) provides that in section 3 (whole-time sheriff clerks and procurators fiscal and deputes), “and either case with the consent of the Treasury” is omitted. The effect is that Treasury consent is not required to determinations by the Scottish Ministers (in the case of a sheriff clerk or sheriff clerk depute) or the Lord Advocate (in the case of a procurator fiscal or a procurator fiscal depute) that such an office shall be a whole-time office, thereby preventing the person from engaging in certain other employments.
Paragraph 3(5) provides that in section 5 (whole-time clerks), “with the consent of the Treasury as to numbers and salaries” is omitted. The effect is that Treasury consent as to numbers and salaries is not required to the appointment by the Scottish Ministers or Lord Advocate of whole-time clerks or whole-time assistants to sheriff clerks or procurators fiscal.
Paragraph 3(6) provides that in section 12 (prosecution at instance of procurator fiscal), “after consultation with the Treasury” is omitted. The effect is that Treasury consent is not required to the making of an order by the Lord Advocate directing that certain proceedings in the sheriff court are to be taken by and at the instance of the procurator fiscal.
See also paragraph 14 of Schedule 2 to the Scotland Act 1998 (Consequential Modifications)(No.2) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1820)) which makes amendments to sections 6, 12 and 13.
