1999 No. 130
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
DEVOLUTION
The Wafer Scottish Seal Directions 1999
Made 19th October 1999
Laid before the Scottish Parliament 27th October 1999
Coming into force 22nd November 1999

In exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 38(4) and (5)(b) of the Scotland Act 1998, and of all other powers enabling me in that behalf, I hereby direct as follows:
1998 c. 46

Citation, commencement and interpretation
1 These Directions may be cited as the Wafer Scottish Seal Directions 1999 and shall come into force on 22nd November 1999.
2 In these Directions –
“document” means–
(a) Letters Patent signed with Her Majesty’s own hand signifying Her Assent to a Bill passed by the Scottish Parliament; and
(b) a royal proclamation under section 2(5) or 3(2) of the Scotland Act 1998;
“the Scottish Seal” means Her Majesty’s Seal appointed by the Treaty of Union to be kept and used in Scotland in place of the Great Seal of Scotland; and
“Wafer Scottish Seal” shall be construed in accordance with paragraph 3(2) of these Directions.

3 Wafer Scottish Seal
(1) Impressions with the same device as the Scottish Seal shall be taken in accordance with these Directions.
(2) Each such impression is referred to as “a Wafer Scottish Seal”.

4 Manner in which Seal may be taken
(1) A Wafer Scottish Seal shall be taken by embossment using for this purpose a die bearing such a device that, when applied by embossment to paper, parchment, wafer or wax, it leaves an impression with the same device as the Scottish Seal.
(2) Any die provided for this purpose shall be kept in the same custody as the Scottish Seal.

5 Material on which Seal may be taken
A Wafer Scottish Seal shall be taken on paper, parchment, wafer or wax.

6 Size of Seal
The diameter of a Wafer Scottish Seal shall be not more than 75 millimetres and not less than 65 millimetres.

7 Custody of Seal
A Wafer Scottish Seal shall be kept, until it is applied to a document, in the same custody as the Scottish Seal.
DONALD C DEWAR First Minister, Scottish Executive St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh 19th October 1999

(This note is not part of the Directions)
These Directions provide for impressions with the same device as the Scottish Seal (that is, Her Majesty’s Seal appointed by the Treaty of Union to be kept and used in Scotland in place of the Great Seal of Scotland) to be taken. Each such impression is to be known as a “Wafer Scottish Seal”. The Directions specify the manner in which Wafer Scottish Seals are to be taken, the material on which they may be taken and their size. They also direct how the Wafer Scottish Seals are to be kept.
Section 38(6) of the Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46) (“the 1998 Act”) provides that if a Wafer Scottish Seal has been applied to Letters Patent signed with Her Majesty’s own hand signifying Her Assent to a Bill passed by the Scottish Parliament or a royal proclamation under section 2(5) or 3(2) of the 1998 Act (proclamations dissolving the Parliament and making provision as to holding of general elections) then the document has the same validity as if it had passed under the Scottish Seal.