The Scottish Ministers may make arrangements with a public authority in the United Kingdom for the authority to assist them (directly or indirectly) in relation to any of their functions under section 1, 2, 17(3), (4) or (5) (except the Ministers' powers under that section to make regulations), 18 (except the Ministers' power under that section to make regulations), 19(2) or 20(3).

Assistance under such arrangements may take the form of the carrying out by the authority of the function.

Arrangements under this section do not affect the responsibility for the carrying out of the Scottish Ministers' functions.