{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-absent-voting-miscellaneous-amendment-scotland-regulations-2026/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-absent-voting-miscellaneous-amendment-scotland-regulations-2026/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "sdsi/2026/9780111065211",
  "legislation_title": "The Absent Voting (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2026",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-absent-voting-miscellaneous-amendment-scotland-regulations-2026",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "Draft Regulations laid before the Scottish Parliament under section 201(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 and paragraphs 1 and 2 of schedule 7 of the Scotland Act 1998, for approval by resolution of the Scottish Parliament.\nCONSTITUTIONAL LAW\nREPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE\nMade 2026\nComing into force in accordance with regulation 1(2) and (3)\nThe Scottish Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 53(1), (3), (9) and 201(3) and paragraphs 1(2) and (5A), 3, 5ZB(1), (2) and (5), 5A(1), (3) and (4) and 13(2) of schedule 2 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (“the 1983 Act”), sections 12B(1) and (2) and 113(2), (3), (4) and (5) and 114 of the Scotland Act 1998 (“the 1998 Act”), sections 22(3), 33 and 61(2) of the Local Electoral Administration and Registration Services (Scotland) Act 2006, and all other powers enabling them to do so.\nIn accordance with section 7(1) and (2)(e) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 the Scottish Ministers have consulted with the Electoral Commission.\nIn accordance with section 53(10)(a) of the 1983 Act and section 12B(5) of the 1998 Act, a Minister of the Crown has agreed to the making of these Regulations.\nIn accordance with section 201(2) of the 1983 Act and paragraphs 1 and 2 of schedule 7 of the 1998 Act, a draft of this instrument has been laid before and approved by resolution of the Scottish Parliament.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "1983 c. 2 (“the 1983 Act”). Section 53(1) was relevantly amended by paragraph 13(b) of schedule 1 and schedule 7 of the Representation of the People Act 2000 (c. 2) (“the 2000 Act”) and paragraph 1(a) and (b) of schedule 2 of the Elections Act 2022 (c. 37) (“the 2022 Act”). Section 53(3) was amended by paragraph 13(b) of schedule 4 of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50) (“the 1985 Act”). Section 53(9) was inserted by section 6(4) of the Scotland Act 2016 (c. 11) (“the 2016 Act”) and amended by section 7(10) of the Wales Act 2017 (c. 4). Section 201(3) was inserted by paragraph 21 of schedule 1 of the 2000 Act and amended by paragraph 6(7) of schedule 21 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41). Paragraph 1(2) of schedule 2 of the 1983 Act was amended by paragraph 24(2) of schedule 1 of the 2000 Act and by paragraph 20(2) of schedule 4 of the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (c. 6). Paragraph 1(5A) of schedule 2 was inserted by paragraph 3(3) of schedule 2 of the 2022 Act and amended by section 1(2) of the Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 (c. 27) (“the 2025 Act”). Paragraph 5ZB of schedule 2 was inserted by section 1(3) of the 2025 Act. Paragraph 5A was inserted by paragraph 8 of schedule 2 of the 1985 Act and amended by paragraph 11(2) of schedule 6 of the 2000 Act. The functions of the Secretary of State are, insofar as within devolved competence, transferred to the Scottish Ministers by section 53 of the Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46) and section 9 of the 2016 Act."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "1998 c. 46 (“the 1998 Act”). Section 12B was inserted by section 2(2) of the 2025 Act. The powers in section 113(2), (4) and (5) of the 1998 Act are extended to the Scottish Ministers by section 113(1A) of that Act, which was inserted by section 3(1) of the Scotland Act 2012 (c. 11) and amended by section 2(3) of the 2025 Act. Section 114 of the 1998 Act was amended by section 2(4) of the 2025 Act to enable the powers in section 12B of the 1998 Act, including as extended by section 113 of that Act, to be exercised by modifying any enactment comprised in or made under the 1998 Act."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "2006 asp 14."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f4",
      "text": "2000 c. 41."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f5",
      "text": "Section 201(2) was substituted by paragraph 69 of schedule 4 of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50) and relevantly amended by paragraph 6(7) of schedule 21 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41), section 13(2) of the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 (c. 13) and S.I. 1991/1728."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f6",
      "text": "Schedule 7 was relevantly amended by section 2(5) of the Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 (c. 27)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f7",
      "text": "The powers to make these Regulations are exercised together by virtue of section 33(2) of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 10). These Regulations are subject to the affirmative procedure by virtue of section 33(3) of that Act."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/sdsi/2026/9780111065211/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-30T15:27:59.268802+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}