Part 3Publication of Acts and instruments
Acts of the Scottish Parliament
38Official prints of Acts of the Scottish Parliament
1
For each calendar year, Acts of the Scottish Parliament having their Royal Assent date in that year are to be numbered consecutively, with the prefix “asp” (starting with “asp 1”).
2
Acts of the Scottish Parliament are to be numbered in chronological order by reference to their Royal Assent dates.
3
If two or more Acts of the Scottish Parliament have the same Royal Assent date, their chronological order is to be determined in accordance with subsections (4) and (5).
4
If separate Letters Patent are recorded as mentioned in section 28(3) of the Scotland Act1998 (c. 46) in relation to each Bill, the order is the order in which the Letters Patent are so recorded.
5
If the same Letters Patent are so recorded in relation to two or more Bills the order is the order in which the Bills are mentioned in the Letters Patent.
6
The Clerk of the Scottish Parliament is to write on the copy of each Act of the Scottish Parliament on which the Clerk writes the Royal Assent date (as required by section 28(4) of the Scotland Act1998 (c. 46)) the calendar year, prefix and number of the Act.
7
The calendar year, prefix and number written on an Act in pursuance of subsection (6) form part of the Act.
8
The copy of the Act on which the Clerk writes the Royal Assent date, the calendar year, prefix and number is to be known as the “official print” of the Act.
9
In this section “Royal Assent date”, in relation to an Act of the Scottish Parliament, means the date on which the Bill for the Act receives Royal Assent.
39Publication of official prints
1
As soon as practicable after complying with the requirements of section 38(6), the Clerk of the Scottish Parliament must ensure that the Queen’s Printer receives a certified copy of the Act (a “certified Act”).
2
As soon as practicable after receiving a certified Act, the Queen’s Printer—
a
must, in pursuance of the functions imposed by section 92(1)(a) of the Scotland Act1998 (c. 46), print copies of the certified Act and make them available for sale,
b
may make other arrangements for publication of the certified Act.
3
In this section “certified copy” means a copy certified by the Clerk as being a true copy.
40Preservation of official prints
1
The Clerk of the Scottish Parliament must ensure that the Keeper of the Records of Scotland receives the official print of each Act of the Scottish Parliament.
2
The Keeper must ensure that official prints of Acts received by the Keeper are preserved.