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 [F1 , ]

[F1 (g) the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (other than [F2 any excluded provision of] that Act and any regulations made under that Act)]

[F3 (3) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(g), the following are excluded provisions of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018—

(a) section 1B(3) and (4),

(b) sections 8A to 8C,

(c) section 10(3) and (4),

(d) sections 13A and 13B,

(e) sections 15A to 15C,

(f) Parts 1A to 1C of Schedule 2,

(g) paragraphs 8A to 8G of Schedule 7, and

(h) paragraphs 31 to 35 of Schedule 8.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 4 para. 1(2)(g) inserted (26.6.2018) by European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (c. 16), s. 25(1)(b), Sch. 3 para. 21(2)(b) (with s. 19, Sch. 8 para. 37)

F2 Words in Sch. 4 para. 1(2)(g) substituted (23.1.2020) by European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 (c. 1), s. 42(6)(e)(vi), Sch. 5 para. 20(2) (with s. 38(3))

F3 Sch. 4 para. 1(3) inserted (23.1.2020) by European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 (c. 1), s. 42(6)(e)(vi), Sch. 5 para. 20(3) (with s. 38(3))

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 [F4 or]

[F4 (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

F4 (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

F4 (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) [F5 and Part 1 of the Pensions Act 2014 (state pension)].]

[F6 (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.]

[F7 (5) Sub-paragraph (3) does not affect sub-paragraph (1) as it applies to an Act of the Scottish Parliament so far as any matter to which a provision of the Act relates falls within exception 10 of Section F1 of Part 2 of Schedule 5.]

Textual Amendments

F4 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)

F5 Words in Sch. 4 para. 2(3)(e) inserted (coming into force in accordance with art. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Pensions Act 2014 (Consequential and Supplementary Amendments) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/224), art. 4

F6 Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 2(4) substituted (13.7.2000) by S.I. 2000/1831, art. 2(b)

F7 Sch. 4 para. 2(5) inserted (5.9.2016) by Scotland Act 2016 (c. 11), ss. 28(4), 72(4)(b); S.I. 2016/759, reg. 3(e)

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.

[F8 (3) Sub-paragraph (1) does not affect the application of paragraph 2 to modifications which are incidental to, or consequential on, any provision, if it is only by virtue of exception 10 of Section F1 of Part 2 of Schedule 5 that the provision does not relate to reserved matters.]

Textual Amendments

F8 Sch. 4 para. 3(3) inserted (5.9.2016) by Scotland Act 2016 (c. 11), ss. 28(5), 72(4)(b); S.I. 2016/759, reg. 3(e)

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.

[F9 (2) This paragraph does not apply to modifying—

(a) the following sections in Part 1 (the Scottish Parliament)—

(i) section 1(2) to (5),

(ii) section 2(1), (2), (2B) and (3) to (6),

(iii) sections 3 to 12,

(iv) sections 13 to 22,

(v) sections 24 to 26,

(vi) section 27(1) and (2),

(vii) section 28(4) and (5),

(viii) section 31(3),

(ix) section 36(1)(a) and (b), and (2) and (3), and

(x) sections 38 to 42,

(b) the following sections in Part 2 (the Scottish Administration)—

(i) section 44(1)(a) to (c) and (2),

(ii) section 45(3) to (7),

(iii) section 46(1) to (3),

(iv) section 47(2) and (3)(b) to (e),

(v) section 48(2) to (4),

(vi) section 49(2), (3) and (4)(b) to (e), and

(vii) section 50,

(c) in Part 3 (financial provisions)—

(i) section 69(2) to (5), and

(ii) section 70(1) to (5) and (7) to (9),

(d) in Part 5 (miscellaneous and general), sections 81 to 83, 85, 91, 92(1), (2) and (4) to (6), 93, 94 and 97,

(e) the following provisions in Part 6 (supplementary)—

(i) section 112(1) and (3) to (5), section 113 (except the application of subsection (9)), section 115 and Schedule 7 (so far as those sections and that Schedule apply to any power exercisable within devolved competence to make subordinate legislation),

(ii) sections 118, 120 and 121, and

(iii) section 124 (so far as that section applies to any power exercisable within devolved competence to make subordinate legislation),

(f) Schedule 1 (constituencies, regions and regional members),

(g) paragraphs 1, 2(1) and 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 (Scottish Parliamentary corporate body), and

(h) paragraphs 1 to 6 of Schedule 3 (standing orders - further provision).]

F10 (2A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F10 (2B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F10 (2C) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(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, F11 . . .

[F12 (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

F9 Sch. 4 para. 4(2) substituted (18.5.2017) by Scotland Act 2016 (c. 11), ss. 12(2), 72(4)(a); S.I. 2017/608, reg. 2(1)(j)

F10 Sch. 4 para. 4(2A)(2B)(2C) omitted (18.5.2017) by virtue of Scotland Act 2016 (c. 11), ss. 10(4), 72(4)(a); S.I. 2017/608, reg. 2(1)(h)

F11 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

F12 Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 4(c) and word “(d)” inserted (13.7.2000) by S.I. 2000/1831, art. 3

F13 4A S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F13 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.