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Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004

Section 24 – Abolition of the competence test for witnesses in criminal and civil proceedings

90.This section prohibits the use of the “competence test” in criminal and civil proceedings. The court is no longer entitled to ask preliminary questions of the witness regarding whether the witness understands the difference between truth and lies and the duty to give truthful evidence.

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Text created by the Scottish Government to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Acts of the Scottish Parliament except those which result from Budget Bills.

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