Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill
Overview
To help manage the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scottish Parliament passed two Bills in 2020. These became the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 and the Coronavirus (No.2) (Scotland) Act 2020 (“the Scottish Acts”). The changes to the law in Part 1 of each of these Acts are due to expire on 30 September 2021.
This new Bill will extend Part 1 of each of these Acts until 31 March 2022. This means that the changes to the law in Part 1 of each of these Acts will continue to be the law until that time. An example of a change that will be extended is a protection against eviction for people who rent their homes.
The Bill will also allow secondary legislation to be used to extend Part 1 of each of these Acts further, to 30 September 2022. The Parliament would need to agree to this by approving an affirmative SSI.
The Bill also expires certain changes made in Part 1 of each of the Scottish Acts so that these will not continue to be the law after 30 September 2021. These can be found in paragraphs 12 through to 30 of the explanatory notes. An example of a change that will expire is a temporary extension of timescales relating to children’s hearings.
The Bill only relates to the Scottish Acts and not the Coronavirus Act 2020 passed by the UK Parliament.
Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill as introduced (371KB, pdf) posted 18 June 2021
SPICe blogpost
SPICe published a detailed, extended blogpost on the Bill as introduced.
The Bill was passed on 24 June 2021 and became an Act on 04 August 2021
Contents
Introduced
The Scottish Government introduces the Bill and accompanying documents to the Parliament which publishes the Bill.
The Bill was introduced on 18 June 2021
Bill as introduced
Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill as introduced (371KB, pdf) posted 18 June 2021
Financial resolution
The Presiding Officer has decided under Rule 9.12 of Standing Orders that a financial resolution is required for this Bill.
Related information from the Scottish Government on the bill
Explanatory Notes
Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill Explanatory Notes (145KB, pdf) posted 17 June 2021
Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill Explanatory Notes (print version) (153KB, pdf) posted 17 June 2021
Explanation of the Bill
Policy Memorandum
Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill Policy Memorandum (938KB, pdf) posted 17 June 2021
Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill Policy Memorandum (print version) (1MB, pdf) posted 17 June 2021
Why the Bill is being introduced
Financial Memorandum
Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill Financial Memorandum (408KB, pdf) posted 17 June 2021
Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill Financial Memorandum (print version) (482KB, pdf) posted 17 June 2021
How much the Bill is likely to cost
Delegated Powers Memorandum
Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill Delegated Powers Memorandum (389KB, pdf) posted 16 June 2021
Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill Delegated Powers Memorandum (print version) (220KB, pdf) posted 16 June 2021
Information on the powers the Bill gives the Scottish Ministers and others to make “secondary legislation” (usually regulations) and to the Scottish Ministers (such as to make guidance).
Statements on Legislative Competence
Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill Statements on Legislative Competence (131KB, pdf) posted 18 June 2021
Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill Statements on Legislative Competence (print version) (186KB, pdf) posted 18 June 2021
Statements on whether the Bill is within the Parliament’s “legislative competence” (if the Parliament has the power to make the changes to the law proposed by the Bill).
Scottish Parliament research on the Bill
SPICe published a blogpost on the Bill as introduced.