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Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971

Sections85

F13Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971

1971 c. 58

An Act to amend the law with respect to sheriff courts in Scotland, and for purposes connected therewith.

EnactedF13

Part I  Constitution, Organisation and Administration

F13 General duty of the Secretary of State

F131  Secretary of State to be responsible for organisation and administration of sheriff courts.

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Sheriffdoms

2  Power of Secretary of State to alter sheriffdoms.

F131 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F132 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F132A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F132B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F93 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F134 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F135 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sheriff court districts and places where sheriff courts are to be held

3  Sheriff court districts and places where sheriff courts are to be held.

F131 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F132 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F132A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F132B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F133 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F104 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F135 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F135A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F136 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F13 Sheriffs principal and sheriffs

F11F124  Offices of sheriff principal and sheriff.

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F135  Qualification for offices of sheriff principal and sheriff.

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F135A Retiring age for sheriff principal and sheriff.

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F136  Disqualification of sheriffs principal and sheriffs.

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F137  Jurisdiction of sheriff.

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F138  Sheriff may be appointed to assist Secretary of State.

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F13 Functions of the Secretary of State in relation to sheriffs principal, sheriffs, et ceteralaetc.

F139  Power of Secretary of State to give administrative directions.

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F1310  Secretary of State may authorise sheriff principal or direct sheriff to act in another sheriffdom.

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F1311  Secretary of State may appoint temporary sheriffs principal and sheriffs.

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F1311A  Appointment of part-time sheriffs

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F1311B  Limitation, termination etc. of appointment of part-time sheriffs

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F1311C  Removal of part-time sheriffs from office

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F1311D  Regulations and orders under sections 11A and 11C

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F1312  Removal from office, and suspension, of sheriff principal or sheriff.

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F13Consideration of fitness for, and removal from, shrieval office

F1312A Tribunal to consider fitness for shrieval office

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F1312B Suspension during investigation

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F1312C Further provision about tribunals

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F1312D Report of tribunal

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F1312E Removal from office

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F1312F Interpretation of sections 12A to 12E

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F1313  Functions of Secretary of State with respect to residence and leave of absence of sheriffs principal.

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F1314  Functions of Secretary of State with respect to number, residence and place of duties of sheriffs.

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F1314A Re-employment of retired sheriffs principal and sheriffs

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F13 Functions of the sheriff principal in relation to sheriffs, et ceteralaetc.

F1315 Efficient disposal of business in sheriff courts

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F1316  Functions of sheriff principal with respect to duties and leave of absence of sheriffs.

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F1317  Sheriff principal may fix sittings and business of sheriff courts in sheriffdom, and sessions for civil business.

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F1317A Lord President's power to exercise functions in sections 15 to 17

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F1318  Secretary of State may exercise certain functions of sheriff principal in certain circumstances.

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F13 Miscellaneous

F1319  Travelling allowances for sheriffs principal.

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F1320  Extension of purposes for which Lord Advocate may give instructions to procurators fiscal.

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F1321 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1322  Saving for existing functions.

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F13Part II  Court houses, buildings and offices

F1323  Transfer of court houses to Secretary of State.

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F1324  Provision and maintenance of court houses by Secretary of State.

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F1325  Use of public buildings for holding of courts.

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F1326  Use of court houses by third parties.

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F1327  Compensation for officers and servants.

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F1328  Repeal and amendment of local enactments.

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F1329  Determination of disputes.

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F1330  Interpretation of Part II.

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Part III  Civil jurisdiction, procedure and appeals

F1331  Upper limit to privative jurisdiction of sheriff court to be £250.

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F13 Regulation of procedure in civil proceedings

F1332  Power of Court of Session to regulate civil procedure in sheriff court.

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F1332A Rules for lay representation

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F1333  Sheriff Court Rules Council.

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F1334  Functions of Sheriff Court Rules Council.

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Summary causes

C135  Summary causes.

C51 The definition of “summary cause” contained in paragraph (i) of section 3 of the M1Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1907 shall cease to have effect, and for the purposes of the procedure and practice in civil proceedings in the sheriff court there shall be a form of process, to be known as a “summary cause”, which shall be used for the purposes of all civil proceedings brought in that court, being proceedings of one or other of the following descriptions, namely—
a actions for payment of money not exceeding £5000 in amount (exclusive of interest and expenses);
b actions of multiplepoinding, actions of furthcoming F2. . . , where the value of the fundin medio, or the value of the arrested fund or subject, F2. . . as the case may be, does not exceed £5000 (exclusive of interest and expenses);
C2c actionsad factum praestandum and actions for the recovery of possession of heritable or moveable property, other than actions in which there is claimed in addition, or as an alternative, to a decreead factum praestandumor for such recovery, as the case may be, a decree for payment of money exceeding £5000 in amount (exclusive of interest and expenses);
d proceedings which, according to the law and practice existing immediately before the commencement of this Act, might competently be brought in the sheriff’s small debt court or were required to be conducted and disposed of in the summary manner in which proceedings were conducted and disposed of under the Small Debt Acts;
and any reference in the following provisions of this Act, or in any other enactment (whether passed or made before or after the commencement of this Act) relating to civil procedure in the sheriff court, to a summary cause shall be construed as a reference to a summary cause within the meaning of this subsection.
1A For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that nothing in subsection (1) above shall prevent the Court of Session from making different rules of procedure and practice in relation to different descriptions of summary cause proceedings.
F142 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F143 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F144 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

36  Procedure in summary causes.

F131 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 A summary cause shall be commenced by a summons in, or as nearly as is practicable in, such form as may be prescribed by rules under the said section 32.
C33 The evidence, if any, given in a summary cause shall not be recorded.
F134 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1536A  Further provisions as to small claims.

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F1636B  Expenses in small claims.

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37  Remits.

1 In the case of any ordinary cause brought in the sheriff court the sheriff —
a shall at any stage, on the joint motion of the parties to the cause, direct that the cause be treated as a summary cause, and in that case the cause shall be treated for all purposes (including appeal) as a summary cause and shall proceed accordingly
F13b . . . . . .
2 In the case of any summary cause, the sheriff at any stage—
a shall, on the joint motion of the parties to the cause, and
b may, on the motion of any of the parties to the cause, if he is of the opinion that the importance or difficulty of the cause makes it appropriate to do so,
direct that the cause be treated as an ordinary cause, and in that case the cause shall be treated for all purposes (including appeal) as an ordinary cause and shall proceed accordingly:
Provided that a direction under this subsection may, in the case of an action for the recovery of possession of heritable or moveable property, be given by the sheriff of his own accord.
F132A . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F132B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F132C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F132D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3 A decision—
a to remit, or not to remit, under subsection (2A) (2B) or (2C) above; or
b to make, or not to make, a direction by virtue of paragraph ( b ) of, or the proviso to, subsection (2) above,
shall not be subject to review; but from a decision to remit, or not to remit, under subsection (1)( b ) above an appeal shall lie to the Court of Session.
4 In this section “sheriff” includes a sheriff principal.

C638  Appeal in summary causes. C4

In the case of —
a any summary cause an appeal shall lie to the sheriff principal on any point of law from the final judgment of the sheriff; and
b any summary cause F17... an appeal shall lie to the Court of Session on any point of law from the final judgment of the sheriff principal, if the sheriff principal certifies the cause as suitable for such an appeal,
but save as aforesaid an interlocutor of the sheriff or the sheriff principal in any such cause shall not be subject to review.

F13 Miscellaneous and supplemental

F1339 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1340 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1341  Power of Her Majesty to vary limit to privative jurisdiction of sheriff court, etc.

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F1342  Application of provisions regarding jurisdiction and summary causes.

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Part IV  Miscellaneous and General

F1343  Orders, etc.

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F1344  Expenses.

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45  Interpretation.

1 In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears—
a references to a sheriff principal include references to a temporary sheriff principal, and references to the office of sheriff principal include references to an appointment as a temporary sheriff principal;
b references to a sheriff include references to a part-time sheriff and an honorary sheriff, and references to the office of sheriff include references to an appointment as a part-timesheriff and to the office of honorary sheriff;
c references to an honorary sheriff are references to a person holding the office of honorary sheriff in his capacity as such.
2 In this Act—
a “enactment” includes an order, regulation, rule or other instrument having effect by virtue of an Act;
b any reference to any enactment shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended or extended, and as including a reference thereto as applied, by or under any other enactment (including this Act).
3 Subject to the foregoing provisions of this section and to any other express provision of this Act, expressions used in this Act and in the M2Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1907 shall have the same meanings in this Act as in that Act.

F1346  Amendment and repeal of enactments.

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F1347  Short title, commencement and extent.

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SCHEDULES

F13SCHEDULE 1 

Minor and Consequential Amendment of Enactments

Section 46(1).

F13 General

F131. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F13 The Execution of Diligence (Scotland) Act 1926

F132. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F13 The Tenancy of Shops (Scotland) Act 1949

F133. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F134. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F13 SCHEDULE 2 

Repeal of Enactments

Section 46(2).

F13Part I  General Repeals

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F13Part II  Repeals Consequent on Sections 35 to 38 of this Act

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Footnotes

  1. C1
    S. 35: power to transfer functions conferred (19.5.1999) by S.I. 1999/678, art. 2(1), Sch.
  2. M1
    1907 c. 51.
  3. F1
    Words in s. 35(1)(a) substituted (14.1.2008) by The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971 (Privative Jurisdiction and Summary Cause) Order 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/507), art. 3 (with art. 4)
  4. F2
    Words in s. 35(1)(b) repealed (1.4.2008) by Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 3), ss. 226, 227, Sch. 6 (with s. 223); S.S.I. 2008/115, art. 3(1)(h)(2)(3), Sch. 2 (with arts. 4-6, 10)
  5. F3
    Words in s. 35(1)(b) substituted (14.1.2008) by The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971 (Privative Jurisdiction and Summary Cause) Order 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/507), art. 3 (with art. 4)
  6. C2
    S. 35(1)(c) excluded by Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974 (c. 38), s. 9(6)
  7. F4
    Words in s. 35(1)(c) substituted (14.1.2008) by The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971 (Privative Jurisdiction and Summary Cause) Order 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/507), art. 3 (with art. 4)
  8. F5
    S. 35(1A) inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 36:1), s. 59, Sch. 2 para. 14
  9. C3
    S. 36(3) excluded by Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1972 (c. 18), s. 4(4)(b)
  10. F6
    “—(a)” inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1980 (c. 55, SIF 36:3), s. 16(a)(i)(ii)
  11. C4
    S. 38 excluded by Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987 (c. 18, SIF 45:2), ss. 103(1), 108(2), Sch. 7 paras. 5, 9(1)
  12. F7
    Words substituted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 36:1), s. 18(4)
  13. F8
    Words in s. 45(1)(b) substituted (9.8.2000) by 2000 asp 9, s. 12, Sch. para. 1(12)
  14. M2
    1907 c. 51.
  15. F9
    S. 2(3) repealed (1.4.2015) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/700), arts. 1(4), 2(3)
  16. F10
    S. 3(4) repealed (1.4.2015) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/700), arts. 1(4), 2(3)
  17. F11
    S. 4 repealed (E.W.N.I) (1.4.2015 for specified purposes, 22.9.2015 for specified purposes) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/700), art. 1(11)(e), Sch. para. 6
  18. F12
    Act (except for ss. 2(3), 3(4)) repealed (S.) (1.4.2015 except for the repeal of ss. 31, 35, 36(2)(3), 36A, 36B, 37, 38, 45, 22.9.2015 for the repeal of ss. 31, 37(1)(b)(2A)(2D)) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 6(2); S.S.I. 2015/77, art. 2(2)(3), sch. (with art. 7); S.S.I. 2015/247, art. 2, sch. (with art. 9)
  19. C5
    S. 35(1) excluded (22.9.2015) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 3, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2015 (S.S.I. 2015/247), arts. 1(1), 9(1) (with art. 9(2))
  20. C6
    S. 38 applied (with modifications) (1.1.2016) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 5, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2015 (S.S.I. 2015/378), arts. 1(1), 4
  21. F13
    Act (except for ss. 2(3), 3(4)) repealed (S.) (1.4.2015 except for the repeal of ss. 31, 35, 36(2)(3), 36A, 36B, 37, 38, 45, 22.9.2015 for the repeal of ss. 31, 37(1)(b)(2A)(2D), 28.11.2016 for the repeal of ss. 35(2)-(4), 36A, 36B, 37(2B)(2C) and the repeal of specified words in s. 38(b)) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 6(2); S.S.I. 2015/77, art. 2(2)(3), sch. (with art. 7); S.S.I. 2015/247, art. 2, sch. (with art. 9); S.S.I. 2016/291, art. 2, sch. (with art. 3(1)(2))
  22. F14
    Act (except for ss. 2(3), 3(4)) repealed (S.) (1.4.2015 except for the repeal of ss. 31, 35, 36(2)(3), 36A, 36B, 37, 38, 45, 22.9.2015 for the repeal of ss. 31, 37(1)(b)(2A)(2D), 28.11.2016 for the repeal of ss. 35(2)-(4), 36A, 36B, 37(2B)(2C) and the repeal of specified words in s. 38(b)) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 6(2); S.S.I. 2015/77, art. 2(2)(3), sch. (with art. 7); S.S.I. 2015/247, art. 2, sch. (with art. 9); S.S.I. 2016/291, art. 2, sch. (with art. 3(1)(2))
  23. F15
    Act (except for ss. 2(3), 3(4)) repealed (S.) (1.4.2015 except for the repeal of ss. 31, 35, 36(2)(3), 36A, 36B, 37, 38, 45, 22.9.2015 for the repeal of ss. 31, 37(1)(b)(2A)(2D), 28.11.2016 for the repeal of ss. 35(2)-(4), 36A, 36B, 37(2B)(2C) and the repeal of specified words in s. 38(b)) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 6(2); S.S.I. 2015/77, art. 2(2)(3), sch. (with art. 7); S.S.I. 2015/247, art. 2, sch. (with art. 9); S.S.I. 2016/291, art. 2, sch. (with art. 3(1)(2))
  24. F16
    Act (except for ss. 2(3), 3(4)) repealed (S.) (1.4.2015 except for the repeal of ss. 31, 35, 36(2)(3), 36A, 36B, 37, 38, 45, 22.9.2015 for the repeal of ss. 31, 37(1)(b)(2A)(2D), 28.11.2016 for the repeal of ss. 35(2)-(4), 36A, 36B, 37(2B)(2C) and the repeal of specified words in s. 38(b)) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 6(2); S.S.I. 2015/77, art. 2(2)(3), sch. (with art. 7); S.S.I. 2015/247, art. 2, sch. (with art. 9); S.S.I. 2016/291, art. 2, sch. (with art. 3(1)(2))
  25. F17
    Act (except for ss. 2(3), 3(4)) repealed (S.) (1.4.2015 except for the repeal of ss. 31, 35, 36(2)(3), 36A, 36B, 37, 38, 45, 22.9.2015 for the repeal of ss. 31, 37(1)(b)(2A)(2D), 28.11.2016 for the repeal of ss. 35(2)-(4), 36A, 36B, 37(2B)(2C) and the repeal of specified words in s. 38(b)) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 6(2); S.S.I. 2015/77, art. 2(2)(3), sch. (with art. 7); S.S.I. 2015/247, art. 2, sch. (with art. 9); S.S.I. 2016/291, art. 2, sch. (with art. 3(1)(2))
  26. F18
    S. 37(3) substituted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1980 (c. 55, SIF 36:3), s. 16(c)
  27. F19
    Words inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 36:1), s. 18(3)(b)