Public Health (Scotland) Act 1897
1897 c.38
F62An Act to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to the Public Health in Scotland.
Act extended by Factories Act 1961 (c. 34), s. 182(9) and Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 (c. 46), s. 62; amended by Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 (c. 46), s. 73 and Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65), s. 142
Act amended (S.) (27.8.1993) by 1993 c. 11, ss. 17(1), 68(2) (with s. 66(1), Sch. 3 para. 2)
Preliminary
F621 Short title.
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F622 Extent and commencement of Act.
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F623 Definitions.
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4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1
Part I Authorities for Execution of Act
Central Authority
F625 Local Government Board to be central authority.
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F626 Powers of Board to inquire into sanitary conditions of district.
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7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2
F628 Power to Board to appoint commissioners for conducting special inquiries.
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9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3
11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4
Local Authorities
F6212 Local authorities for the purposes of the Act.
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13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5
15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6
C3Part II Sanitary Provisions
Part II amended by Mines and Quarries Act 1954 (c. 70), s. 151(2)(3)(5), and Clean Air Act 1956 (c. 52), s. 16
General Nuisances
F716. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F817. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F918. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1019. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1120. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1221. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1322. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1423. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1524. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1625. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1726. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F6227 Articles removed to be sold.
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28. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F18
29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F19
F6230 Penalty for injuring closet, &c. so as to cause nuisance.
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F6231 Waterclosets, &c. used in common.
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Offensive Trades
F6232 Prohibition or regulation of certain offensive businesses, and byelaws as to offensive businesses.
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33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F20
34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F21
F6235 Local authorities may make byelaws as to pigstyes.
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F2236. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F2337. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scavenging and Cleansing
38. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F24
39. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F25
F6240 Houses in filthy state to be purified.
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F6241 Provision for obtaining order for cleansing offensive ditches lying near to or forming boundaries of districts.
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F6242 Periodical removal of manure from mews and other premises.
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43. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F26
Part III General Prevention and Mitigation of Disease
Infectious Diseases.—Notification
F6244 Notification of infectious disease.
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Infectious Diseases—Prevention
45. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F27
F6246 Provision of means for disinfecting bedding, &c.
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F6247 Cleansing and disinfecting of premises, &c.
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F6248 Disinfection of bedding. &c.
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49 Persons engaged in washing or mangling clothes to furnish list of owners of clothes in certain cases.
F62. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F6250 Infectious matter thrown into ash-pits, &c. to be disinfected.
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F6251 Penalty on letting houses in which infected persons have been lodging.
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F6252 Penalty on persons letting houses making false statements as to infectious disease.
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F6253 Penalty on ceasing to occupy house without disinfection or notice to owner, or on making false answer.
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F6254 Removal to hospital of infected persons without proper lodging.
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F6255 Detention of infected persons without proper lodging in hospital.
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F6256 Penalty on exposure of infected persons and things.
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F6257 Penalty on sending child to school, so as to spread infection.
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F6258 Prohibitions on infected person carrying on business
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F6259 Prohibition on conveyance, &c. of infected person in public conveyance.
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60. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F28
F6262 Prohibition of retention of dead body in certain cases.
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F6263 Body of person dying of infectious disease in hospital, &c. to be removed only for burial.
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F6264 Disinfection of public conveyances if used for carrying corpses.
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F6265 Byelaws as to public conveyances.
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Hospitals and Ambulances
F6266 Power of local authority to provide hospitals.
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67. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F29
Mortuaries, &c.
F6268 Power of local authority to provide mortuaries.
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F6269 Power of sheriff, &c. in certain cases to order removal of dead body to mortuary.
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F6270 Power of local authority to provide places for post-mortem examinations.
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F6271 Power to sanitary authorities to unite for providing mortuary.
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Byelaws as to Houses let in Lodgings
F6272 Power of local authority to make byelaws as to lodging-houses.
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Tents and Vans
C473 Tents and vans used for human habitation.
1
A tent, van, shed, or similar structure, used for human habitation, which is in such a state as to be a nuisance or injurious or dangerous to health, or is so overcrowded as to be injurious or dangerous to the health of the inmates, shall be a nuisance liable to be dealt with summarily under this Act.
F622
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F623
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F624
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Underground Dwellings
F6274 Rules as to underground dwellings.
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F6275 Penalty on letting underground dwellings.
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F6276 Cases in which two convictions have occurred within three months.
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77. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F30
Part IV
78. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F31
Part V Regulation of Common Lodging-Houses
F6289 Common lodging-houses to be registered.
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F6290 No lodger to be received in common lodging-house till it has been inspected and registered.
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F6291 Evidence of register. C5
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F6292 Power to local authority to make byelaws.
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F6293 Copy of bye-laws, to be furnished gratis to keepers.
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F6294 Power to local authority to require additional supply of water.
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F6295 Power to local authority to order reports from keepers.
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F6296 Local authority may remove sick persons to hospitals, &c.
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F6297 As to giving notice of fever, &c. occurring.
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F6298 Inspection.
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F6299 Cleansing.
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F62100 Conviction for third offence, &c. to disqualify persons from keeping common lodging-houses.
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Part VI Sewers, Drains, and Water Supply
Sewers and Drains
101. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F32
113. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F33
114. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F34
F62116 Distilleries, &c. to deposit refuse. C6
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117. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F35
118. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F36
119. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F37
121. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38
122. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F39
F62123 Works of distribution of sewage to be deemed a land improvement.
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124. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F40
131. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F41
132. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F42
Part VII Rating and Borrowing Powers
133. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F43
135. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F44
137. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F45
138. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F46
Borrowing Powers
139. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F47
140. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F48
F62141 Power of borrowing for hospitals, &c.
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142. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F49
Part VIII Acquisition of Lands
F62144 Power to acquire lands.
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F62145 Regulations as to compulsory purchase of land, &c.
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Part IX Legal Proceedings
Enforcement of and Procedure under Act
F62146 Procedure if local authority neglect its duty under Act. Procedure under 18 & 19 Vict. c. 68.
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147. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F50
F62148 Procurator fiscal may sue by directions of Board.
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F62149 Procedure where nuisance beyond district.
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F62150 Local authority may require payment of costs, &c from owner or occupier, and occupier paying to deduct from rent.
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F62151 Penalty for wilful damage of works.
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152. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F51
F62153 Recovery of penalties.
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F62154 Form of applications to the sheriff, &c.
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F62155 No written pleadings &c. allowed.
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F62156 Appeal in certain cases.
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F62156AAppeal to sheriff or sheriff principal in certain cases: sections 54, 55 and 96
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F62156BFurther appeal to sheriff principal: section 96 decision
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F62156CFurther appeal to Court of Session: sections 54, 55 and 96
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F62156DEffect of appeal in relation to section 54 order, section 55 direction or section 96 decision
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F62157 No appeal otherwise.
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F62158 Justices, &c. being members of local authority may act.
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159. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F52
C7161 One or more joint owners may be proceeded against alone.
In case of any demand or complaint under this Act to which two or more parties, whether as owners or occupiers of premises, may be jointly answerable, it shall be sufficient to proceed against any one or more of them without proceeding against the others or other of them, and any one or more of such persons may be proceeded against, notwithstanding that the acts or defaults of any one or more of them would not separately be an offence against this Act; but nothing herein contained shall prevent the parties so proceeded against from recovering relief in any case in which they would now be entitled to relief by law. Proceedings against several persons included in one demand or complaint shall not lapse by reason of the death of any one or more of such persons, but all such proceedings may be carried on as if the deceased persons had not been originally so included. Whenever in any proceeding under the provisions of this Act relating to nuisances it becomes necessary to mention or refer to the owner or occupier of any premises, it shall be sufficient to designate him as the owner or occupier of such premises without name or further description.
F62162 Penalty on occupier obstructing owner.
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F62163 Penalty for violating Act or obstructing its execution.
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C8164 Compensation to be made.
Full compensation shall be made, out of any fund or assessment applicable to the purposes of this Act, to all persons sustaining any damage by reason of the exercise of any of the powers of this Act, except when otherwise specially provided; and in case of dispute, if the sum claimed do not exceed the sum of fifty pounds sterling, the same may be ascertained on a summary application by either party to the F53sheriff or sheriff principal, whose decision shall be final and not subject to review, unless when pronounced by the F53sheriff, in which case it may be reviewed by the F53sheriff principal on appeal; and when the sum claimed exceeds fifty pounds sterling, such compensation shall be ascertained and disposed of by a sole arbiter appointed in manner set forth in sub-section eleven of section one hundred and forty-five of this Act.
F62165 Convictions not void for want of form.
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F62166 Local authority or Board not liable for irregularity of their officers.
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167. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F54
F62168 Exemption from stamp duties.
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F62169 Police constables to aid in executing Act.
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F62170 Act not to impair right of action, &c.
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F62171 Powers of Act cumulative.
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Part X Port Sanitary Authority
F62172 Constitution of port local authorities.
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F62173 Jurisdiction of port local authority.
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F62174 Delegation of powers by port local authority.
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F62175 Expenses of port local authority.
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F62176 Proceedings for raising a sum for payment of debt within district of a defaulting authority.
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Part XI Miscellaneous
Provisions as to Ships
F62177 Provision as to ships within the jurisdiction of local authority.
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F62178 Provision as to district of local authority extending to places where ships are lying.
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179. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F55
181. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F56
183. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F57
Part XII Saving Clauses and Repeals
Saving Clauses
F62189 Act not to affect navigation of rivers or canals, or irrigation of lands.
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F62190 Saving of certain Acts.
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191. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F58
F62193 Reference to Public Health Acts.
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F62194 Exemption of Government property from building regulations.
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195. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F59
Repeal of Acts
F62196 Repeal of Acts.
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F60F60FIRST SCHEDULE
Sch. 1 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1908 (c. 49)
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F61F61SECOND SCHEDULE
Sch. 2 repealed by Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947 (c. 43), s. 381, Sch. 14
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Act repealed (1.4.2009 for the purpose of the repeals of ss. 68, 70, 71, 1.10.2009 except in so far as it relates to the repeals of ss. 32, 73(1), 161 and 164, 1.1.2010 for the purpose of the repeal of s. 32) by Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008 (asp 5), s. 128(2), sch. 3 Pt. 1 (with s. 127); S.S.I. 2009/9, art. 2(b), sch. 2, S.S.I. 2009/319, art. 2(a), sch. 1 (with art. 3, sch. 2 para. 2), S.S.I. 2009/404, art. 2(3), sch. 3