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Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995
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Changes to legislation:
Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, Section 271N is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 30 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 271N:
- s. 5A inserted by 2010 asp 13 Sch. 7 para. 26
- s. 13(1B) (1C) inserted by 2006 asp 10 s. 82(2)
- s. 13(2)(aa) inserted by 2006 asp 10 s. 82(3)(b)
- s. 13(3A) inserted by 2006 asp 10 s. 82(4)
- s. 13(5)(ba) inserted by 2006 asp 10 s. 82(5)(a)
- s. 13(6)(a)(iii) and word inserted by 2006 asp 10 s. 82(6)(b)
- s. 13(8) inserted by 2006 asp 10 s. 82(7)
- s. 22(5A) inserted by 2007 asp 6 s. 7(2)(g)
- s. 22A(1A) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 1(2)
- s. 23B(1)(1A) substituted for s. 23B(1) by 2023 asp 4 s. 2(2)(a)
- s. 23B(6A) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 1(3)(c)
- s. 23B(8)-(10) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 2(2)(c)
- s. 23C(1A) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 2(3)(b)
- s. 23C(3) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 2(3)(c)
- s. 24(2C) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 4(4)
- s. 24(2AA) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 4(2)
- s. 49(1)-(1F) substituted for s. 49(1)-(3) by 2024 asp 5 s. 17(2)(a)
- s. 49(4A)-(4C) inserted by 2024 asp 5 s. 17(2)(c)
- s. 50(7) inserted by 2024 asp 5 s. 16(2)
- s. 70B and cross-heading inserted by 2024 asp 5 s. 16(3)
- s. 73A inserted by 2004 asp 3 s. 2(3)
- s. 142A inserted by 2024 asp 5 s. 16(5)
- s. 167(7D) (7E) inserted by 2007 asp 17 sch. 4 para. 1(3)
- s. 167(7D) words substituted by 2010 asp 13 Sch. 3 para. 16(2)
- s. 167(7E) words substituted by 2010 asp 13 Sch. 3 para. 16(3)
- s. 175(1)(ca) words substituted by 2024 asp 5 Sch. para. 7(4)(a)
- s. 194ZA repealed by 2014 asp 18 sch. 3 para. 25
- s. 200A inserted by 2016 asp 1 s. 85
- s. 249(4A)-(4D) inserted by 2014 asp 1 s. 24
- s. 271D(4A) inserted by 2019 asp 8 s. 6(4)
- s. 271F(2)(aa) inserted by 2019 asp 8 s. 10(4)
- s. 271AA inserted by 2019 asp 8 s. 6(2)
- s. 271BZD inserted by 2019 asp 8 s. 3(2)
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 5A inserted by 2010 asp 13 Sch. 7 para. 26
- s. 13(1B) (1C) inserted by 2006 asp 10 s. 82(2)
- s. 13(2)(aa) inserted by 2006 asp 10 s. 82(3)(b)
- s. 13(3A) inserted by 2006 asp 10 s. 82(4)
- s. 13(5)(ba) inserted by 2006 asp 10 s. 82(5)(a)
- s. 13(6)(a)(iii) and word inserted by 2006 asp 10 s. 82(6)(b)
- s. 13(8) inserted by 2006 asp 10 s. 82(7)
- s. 22(5A) inserted by 2007 asp 6 s. 7(2)(g)
- s. 22A(1A) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 1(2)
- s. 23B(1)(1A) substituted for s. 23B(1) by 2023 asp 4 s. 2(2)(a)
- s. 23B(6A) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 1(3)(c)
- s. 23B(8)-(10) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 2(2)(c)
- s. 23C(1A) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 2(3)(b)
- s. 23C(3) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 2(3)(c)
- s. 24(2C) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 4(4)
- s. 24(2AA) inserted by 2023 asp 4 s. 4(2)
- s. 49(1)-(1F) substituted for s. 49(1)-(3) by 2024 asp 5 s. 17(2)(a)
- s. 49(4A)-(4C) inserted by 2024 asp 5 s. 17(2)(c)
- s. 50(7) inserted by 2024 asp 5 s. 16(2)
- s. 70B and cross-heading inserted by 2024 asp 5 s. 16(3)
- s. 73A inserted by 2004 asp 3 s. 2(3)
- s. 142A inserted by 2024 asp 5 s. 16(5)
- s. 167(7D) (7E) inserted by 2007 asp 17 sch. 4 para. 1(3)
- s. 167(7D) words substituted by 2010 asp 13 Sch. 3 para. 16(2)
- s. 167(7E) words substituted by 2010 asp 13 Sch. 3 para. 16(3)
- s. 175(1)(ca) words substituted by 2024 asp 5 Sch. para. 7(4)(a)
- s. 194ZA repealed by 2014 asp 18 sch. 3 para. 25
- s. 200A inserted by 2016 asp 1 s. 85
- s. 249(4A)-(4D) inserted by 2014 asp 1 s. 24
- s. 271D(4A) inserted by 2019 asp 8 s. 6(4)
- s. 271F(2)(aa) inserted by 2019 asp 8 s. 10(4)
- s. 271AA inserted by 2019 asp 8 s. 6(2)
- s. 271BZD inserted by 2019 asp 8 s. 3(2)
[F1271NWitness anonymity ordersS
(1)A court may make an order requiring such specified measures to be taken in relation to a witness in criminal proceedings as the court considers appropriate to ensure that the identity of the witness is not disclosed in or in connection with the proceedings.
(2)The court may make such an order only on an application made in accordance with sections 271P and 271Q, if satisfied of the conditions set out in section 271R having considered the matters set out in section 271S.
(3)The kinds of measures that may be required to be taken in relation to a witness include in particular measures for securing one or more of the matters mentioned in subsection (4).
(4)Those matters are—
(a)that the witness's name and other identifying details may be—
(i)withheld,
(ii)removed from materials disclosed to any party to the proceedings,
(b)that the witness may use a pseudonym,
(c)that the witness is not asked questions of any specified description that might lead to the identification of the witness,
(d)that the witness is screened to any specified extent,
(e)that the witness's voice is subjected to modulation to any specified extent.
(5)Nothing in this section authorises the court to require—
(a)the witness to be screened to such an extent that the witness cannot be seen by the judge or the jury,
(b)the witness's voice to be modulated to such an extent that the witness's natural voice cannot be heard by the judge or the jury.
(6)An order made under this section is referred to in this Act as a “witness anonymity order”.
(7) In this section “specified” means specified in the order concerned. ]
Textual Amendments
F1Ss. 271N-271Z inserted (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 90(1), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch.
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Ss. 271N-271Z applied (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 90(3)(4), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch.
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