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Arbitration Act 1996 in Scotland

1996 c. 23 · Enacted 17 June 1996 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 1 August 2025.

Contents

  1. Introductory
  2. 1General principles.
  3. 2Scope of application of provisions.
  4. 3The seat of the arbitration.
  5. 4Mandatory and non-mandatory provisions.
  6. 5Agreements to be in writing.
  7. The arbitration agreement
  8. 6Definition of arbitration agreement.
  9. 6ALaw applicable to arbitration agreement
  10. 7Separability of arbitration agreement.
  11. 8Whether agreement discharged by death of a party.
  12. Stay of legal proceedings
  13. 9Stay of legal proceedings.
  14. 10Reference of interpleader issue to arbitration.
  15. 11Retention of security where Admiralty proceedings stayed.
  16. Commencement of arbitral proceedings
  17. 12Power of court to extend time for beginning arbitral proceedings, &c.
  18. 13Application of Limitation Acts.
  19. 14Commencement of arbitral proceedings.
  20. The arbitral tribunal
  21. 15The arbitral tribunal.
  22. 16Procedure for appointment of arbitrators.
  23. 17Power in case of default to appoint sole arbitrator.
  24. 18Failure of appointment procedure.
  25. 19Court to have regard to agreed qualifications.
  26. 20Chairman.
  27. 21Umpire.
  28. 22Decision-making where no chairman or umpire.
  29. 23Revocation of arbitrator’s authority.
  30. 23AImpartiality: duty of disclosure
  31. 25Resignation of arbitrator : entitlement to fees or expenses.
  32. 26Death of arbitrator or person appointing him.
  33. 27Filling of vacancy, &c.
  34. 28Joint and several liability of parties to arbitrators for fees and expenses.
  35. 29Immunity of arbitrator.
  36. Jurisdiction of the arbitral tribunal
  37. 30Competence of tribunal to rule on its own jurisdiction.
  38. 31Objection to substantive jurisdiction of tribunal.
  39. 32Determination of preliminary point of jurisdiction.
  40. The arbitral proceedings
  41. 33General duty of the tribunal.
  42. 34Procedural and evidential matters.
  43. 35Consolidation of proceedings and concurrent hearings.
  44. 36Legal or other representation.
  45. 37Power to appoint experts, legal advisers or assessors.
  46. 38General powers exercisable by the tribunal.
  47. 39Power to make provisional awards.
  48. 39APower to make award on summary basis
  49. 40General duty of parties.
  50. 41Powers of tribunal in case of party’s default.
  51. 41AEmergency arbitrators
  52. Powers of court in relation to arbitral proceedings
  53. 42Enforcement of peremptory orders of tribunal or emergency arbitrator.
  54. 43Securing the attendance of witnesses.
  55. 44Court powers exercisable in support of arbitral proceedings.
  56. 45Determination of preliminary point of law.
  57. The award
  58. 46Rules applicable to substance of dispute.
  59. 47Awards on different issues, &c.
  60. 48Remedies.
  61. 49Interest.
  62. 50Extension of time for making award.
  63. 51Settlement.
  64. 52Form of award.
  65. 53Place where award treated as made.
  66. 54Date of award.
  67. 55Notification of award.
  68. 56Power to withhold award in case of non-payment.
  69. 57Correction of award or additional award.
  70. 58Effect of award.
  71. Costs of the arbitration
  72. 59Costs of the arbitration.
  73. 60Agreement to pay costs in any event.
  74. 61Award of costs.
  75. 62Effect of agreement or award about costs.
  76. 63The recoverable costs of the arbitration.
  77. 64Recoverable fees and expenses of arbitrators.
  78. 65Power to limit recoverable costs.
  79. Powers of the court in relation to award
  80. 66Enforcement of the award.
  81. 68Challenging the award: serious irregularity.
  82. 69Appeal on point of law.
  83. 71Challenge or appeal: effect of order of court.
  84. Miscellaneous
  85. 72Saving for rights of person who takes no part in proceedings.
  86. 73Loss of right to object.
  87. 74Immunity of arbitral institutions, &c.
  88. 75Charge to secure payment of solicitors’ costs.
  89. Supplementary
  90. 76Service of notices, &c.
  91. 77Powers of court in relation to service of documents.
  92. 78Reckoning periods of time.
  93. 79Power of court to extend time limits relating to arbitral proceedings.
  94. 81Saving for certain matters governed by common law.
  95. 83Index of defined expressions: Part I.
  96. 84Transitional provisions.
  97. Part II: Other provisions relating to arbitration
  98. 85Modification of Part I in relation to domestic arbitration agreement. Not yet in force
  99. 86Staying of legal proceedings. Not yet in force
  100. 87Effectiveness of agreement to exclude court’s jurisdiction. Not yet in force
  101. 88Power to repeal or amend sections 85 to 87. Repealed
  102. Consumer arbitration agreements
  103. 89Application of unfair terms regulations to consumer arbitration agreements.
  104. 90Part applies where consumer is a legal person
  105. 91Arbitration agreement unfair where modest amount sought.
  106. 92Exclusion of Part I in relation to small claims arbitration in the county court.
  107. 94Application of Part I to statutory arbitrations.
  108. 95General adaptation of provisions in relation to statutory arbitrations.
  109. 96Specific adaptations of provisions in relation to statutory arbitrations.
  110. 97Provisions excluded from applying to statutory arbitrations.
  111. 98Power to make further provision by regulations.
  112. Enforcement of Geneva Convention awards
  113. 99Continuation of Part II of the Arbitration Act 1950.
  114. Recognition and enforcement of New York Convention awards
  115. 100New York Convention awards.
  116. 101Recognition and enforcement of awards.
  117. 102Evidence to be produced by party seeking recognition or enforcement.
  118. 103Refusal of recognition or enforcement.
  119. 104Saving for other bases of recognition or enforcement.
  120. Part IV: General provisions
  121. 107Consequential amendments and repeals.
  122. Paragraph
  123. Introductory
  124. General
  125. Arbitrator’s fees
  126. 3Paragraph 3
  127. Exercise of court powers in support of arbitration
  128. 4Paragraph 4
  129. Extension of time for making award
  130. 5Paragraph 5
  131. Withholding award in case of non-payment
  132. 6Paragraph 6
  133. 7Paragraph 7
  134. Correction of award or additional award
  135. 8Paragraph 8
  136. Costs
  137. 9Paragraph 9
  138. 10Paragraph 10
  139. Enforcement of award
  140. 11Paragraph 11
  141. Solicitors’ costs
  142. 12Paragraph 12
  143. Powers of court in relation to service of documents
  144. 13Paragraph 13
  145. Powers of court to extend time limits relating to arbitral proceedings
  146. 14Paragraph 14
  147. Schedule 3: Consequential amendments
  148. 1Paragraph 1
  149. 2Paragraph 2
  150. 5Paragraph 5
  151. Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 (c.54)
  152. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  153. Patents Act 1949 (c.87)
  154. 8Paragraph 8
  155. National Health Service (Amendment) Act 1949 (c.93)
  156. 9Paragraph 9
  157. 10Paragraph 10
  158. 11Paragraph 11
  159. Agricultural Marketing Act 1958 (c.47)
  160. 12Paragraph 12
  161. 13Paragraph 13
  162. Factories Act 1961 (c.34)
  163. 14Paragraph 14
  164. 15Paragraph 15
  165. Transport Act 1962 (c.46)
  166. 16Paragraph 16
  167. 17Paragraph 17
  168. Plant Varieties and Seeds Act 1964 (c.14)
  169. 18Paragraph 18 Repealed
  170. 19Paragraph 19
  171. Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 (c.12)
  172. 20Paragraph 20 Repealed
  173. 21Paragraph 21
  174. 22Paragraph 22
  175. 24Paragraph 24
  176. 25Paragraph 25
  177. 26Paragraph 26
  178. 27Paragraph 27
  179. Consumer Credit Act 1974 (c.39)
  180. 28Paragraph 28
  181. Friendly Societies Act 1974 (c.46)
  182. 29Paragraph 29
  183. Industry Act 1975 (c.68)
  184. 30Paragraph 30
  185. 31Paragraph 31 Repealed
  186. Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977 (c.3)
  187. 32Paragraph 32 Repealed
  188. Patents Act 1977 (c.37)
  189. 33Paragraph 33
  190. 34Paragraph 34
  191. 35Paragraph 35
  192. 36Paragraph 36
  193. Supreme Court Act 1981 (c.54)
  194. 37Paragraph 37
  195. Merchant Shipping (Liner Conferences) Act 1982 (c.37)
  196. 38Paragraph 38
  197. 39Paragraph 39
  198. 40Paragraph 40
  199. 42Paragraph 42
  200. 43Paragraph 43 Repealed
  201. 44Paragraph 44
  202. Insolvency Act 1986 (c.45)
  203. 46Paragraph 46
  204. Building Societies Act 1986 (c.53)
  205. 47Paragraph 47
  206. 48Paragraph 48
  207. Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency Act 1988 (c.8)
  208. 49Paragraph 49
  209. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (c.48)
  210. 50Paragraph 50
  211. 52Paragraph 52
  212. 53Paragraph 53
  213. Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c.5)
  214. 54Paragraph 54
  215. Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (c.52)
  216. 56Paragraph 56
  217. 57Paragraph 57
  218. 60Paragraph 60
  219. Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (c.21)
  220. 61Paragraph 61
  221. Employment Tribunals Act 1996 (c.17)
  222. 62Paragraph 62
  223. Schedule 4Repeals