{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/scotland-act-1998/section-12A",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/scotland-act-1998/section-12A.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1998/46",
  "legislation_title": "Scotland Act 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/scotland-act-1998",
  "path": "section/12A",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "12A",
  "heading": "Power of the Secretary of State to make provision about the combination of polls",
  "text": "(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for—\n(a) the combination of polls at ordinary general elections for membership of the Parliament with polls at parliamentary by-elections, and\n(b) the combination of polls at extraordinary general elections for membership of the Parliament, and by-elections for membership of the Parliament, with polls at parliamentary by-elections or parliamentary general elections.\n(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(4) The Secretary of State may not make regulations under this section without the agreement of the Scottish Ministers.\n(5) Regulations under subsection (1) may—\n(a) apply, with or without modifications or exceptions, any provision made by or under the Representation of the People Acts ... or by any other enactment relating to parliamentary elections ... or local government elections, and\n(b) modify any form contained in, or in regulations or rules made under, the Representation of the People Acts so far as may be necessary to enable it to be used both for the original purpose and in relation to elections for membership of the Parliament.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Ss. 12, 12A substituted (18.5.2017) by Scotland Act 2016 (c. 11), ss. 4(1), 72(4)(a); S.I. 2017/608, reg. 2(1)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 12A(1)(a) substituted (24.3.2022) by Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 (c. 11), s. 6(3), Sch. para. 12(a)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 12A(1)(b) substituted (24.3.2022) by Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 (c. 11), s. 6(3), Sch. para. 12(a)(ii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 12A(2) omitted (24.3.2022) by virtue of Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 (c. 11), s. 6(3), Sch. para. 12(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "S. 12A(3) omitted (24.3.2022) by virtue of Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 (c. 11), s. 6(3), Sch. para. 12(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 12A(5)(a) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (c. 16), s. 25(4), Sch. 3 para. 9(4)(a) (with s. 19, Sch. 8 para. 37); S.I. 2020/1622, reg. 3(l) (with regs. 10, 22)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 12A(5)(a) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (c. 16), s. 25(4), Sch. 3 para. 9(4)(b) (with s. 19, Sch. 8 para. 37); S.I. 2020/1622, reg. 3(l) (with regs. 10, 22)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/46/section/12A",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-31T10:33:08.185252+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."
}