[F158A.Stamp duty land taxS

(1)For the purposes of stamp duty land tax, any land transaction effected under or by virtue of any of the provisions of this Act is exempt from charge.

(2)Relief under this section must be claimed in a land transaction return or an amendment of such a return.

(3)In this section——

• “land transaction” has the meaning given by section 43(1) of the Finance Act 2003;

• “land transaction return” has the meaning given by section 76(1) of that Act.]

F259. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .S

[F359A Joint exercise of certain functions.S

(1) The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (“ the councils ”) may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, enter into arrangements for the joint discharge of such of their functions as may be so approved.

(2)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) above, arrangements under that subsection may include arrangements—

(a)for an individual to hold appointments as both—

(i)the chief officer of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council under paragraph 2 of Schedule 7 to this Act; and

(ii)an equivalent officer under an order under section 7 of this Act establishing the Scottish Further Education Funding Council;

(b)for such functions to be carried out by—

(i)a joint committee of the councils,

(ii)a member of either of the councils, or

(iii)an officer or employee of the councils or of either of them;

(c)permitting the creation by the councils of a body corporate to carry out such of their functions to which such arrangements relate as the councils may delegate to it;

(d)for staff to be employed jointly by the councils;

(e)for the staff of either of the councils—

(i)to carry out such functions on behalf of the other council;

(ii)to be transferred to any body corporate created in accordance with such arrangements.

(3)Where a body corporate is created by virtue of subsection (2)(c) above—

(a)employment with that body shall be included among the kinds of employment to which a scheme under section 1 of the M1Superannuation Act 1972 can apply; and

(b)the councils shall pay to the Minister for the Civil Service, at such times as he may direct, such sums as he may determine in respect of the increase attributable to paragraph (a) above in the sums payable out of money provided by Parliament under that Act.

(4)In this section—

• “ functions ” includes powers and duties; and

• “ joint committee ” includes any sub-committee of such a committee. ]

• “the 1980 Act” means the M2Education (Scotland) Act 1980; and

• “prescribed” means prescribed by order or by regulations made by the Secretary of State.