Scotland Act 1998

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 [F1 or]

[F1 (c) the obligations under an order made by virtue of section 12A(2) or (3) of the Family Law (Scotland) Act 1985 M1 (orders relating to pensions lump sums) of the person responsible for a pension arrangement other than an occupational or personal pension scheme; or

F1 (d) the obligations under Chapter I of Part IV of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 M2 (sharing of rights under pension arrangements) of the person responsible for such a pension arrangement; or

F1 (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 M3 (contributory benefits) [F2 and Part 1 of the Pensions Act 2014 (state pension)].]

[F3 (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.]

[F4 (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

F1 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)

F2 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

F3 Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 2(4) substituted (13.7.2000) by S.I. 2000/1831, art. 2(b)

F4 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

M1 1985 c.37. Section 12A was inserted by the Pensions Act 1995 (c.26), section 167.

M2 1999 c.30.

M3 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.

[F5 (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

F5 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)