powers and duties, including the admi

A.D. 1928. by the Imperial Government and the Scottish Government of the Joint Services, subject to the power conferred upon the Joint Administrative Council in the event of a disagreement between the two Governments of apportioning the cost of the Joint Services to be borne by 5 nistration of the Imperial Government and the Government of Scotland, and, so long as no separation is effected, as provided for in the proviso to section twenty subsection (1):

Joint
Services.

Application

of existing election laws.

Temporary provisions

as to payments into

the

Provided that nothing in this section shall diminish 10 in any respect the responsibility of the department by which the arrangements are made.

25. All existing election laws relating to the Commons House of the Imperial Parliament, and the members thereof, shall, so far as applicable, and 15 subject to the provisions of this Act, and especially to any provision enabling the Scots Parliament to alter those laws as respects the Scots Parliament, extend to the Scots Parliament and the members thereof.

His Majesty may, by Order in Council, make 20 such provisions as may appear to him necessary or proper for making any provisions of the election laws applicable to election of members of the Scots Parliament.

26. His Majesty may, by Order in Council, make such financial arrangements and fix such sum as is 25 deemed necessary to be paid into the Scottish Exchequer and out of by the Imperial Treasury and may authorise the Lord High Commissioner to make such payments from the Scottish Exchequer as may be necessary in order to Exchequer. provide for bringing this Act into operation, but no 30 such authority shall be exercised by the Lord High Commissioner after the expiration of a period of three months after the first meeting of the Scots Parliament.

Scottish

Power
to make
Scottish
Transfer
Orders in
Council.

27. His Majesty may by Orders in Council, (in 35 this Act referred to as Scottish Transfer Orders) make such regulations as seem necessary or proper for setting in motion the Scots Parliament and Government, and also for any other matter for which it seems to His Majesty necessary or proper or proper to make provision for 40 the purpose of bringing this Act into full operation or for giving full effect to any provisions of this Act;.

5

10

15

20

and in particular, His Majesty may by any such Order A.D. 1928: in Council

(a) make such adaptation of any enactments as

far as they relate to Scotland as may appear
to him necessary or proper in order to give
effect to the provisions of this Act, and also
make any adaptations of any enactments as
far as they relate to England or Ireland as
may appear to him necessary or proper as a
consequence of a change effected by the pro-
visions of this Act; and

(b) make provisions with respect to the transfer
and apportionment of any property rights
and liabilities in connection with the Scottish
services and the national services and depart-
ments which shall become Scottish services as
provided for in this Act.

tish Transfer

28. Any Scottish Transfer Order in Council made Effect of Scotunder this Act shall have effect as if enacted in this Act. Order.

appointed

day.

29. This Act shall, except as expressly provided, Commencecome into operation on the appointed day, and the ment of appointed day for the purposes of this Act shall be the Act and first Tuesday in the eighth month after the month in which this Act is passed, or such other day not more than 25 seven months earlier or later as may be fixed by Order of His Majesty in Council, but the Scots Parliament shall be summoned to meet not later than four months after the said Tuesday, and the appointed day for holding elections for the Scots Parliament shall be fixed accordingly.

30

35

40

30. In this Act, unless the context otherwise Definitions. requires

The expression existing means existing at the
passing of this Act;
The expression "constituency" means a parlia-
mentary constituency, or a county or burgh
returning a member or members to serve in the
Scots Parliament as the case requires, and the
expression" parliamentary constituency " means
the universities and any county or burgh
returning a member or members to serve in the
Imperial Parliament;

A.D. 1928.

Scotland a sovereign state.

Short title.

The expression "parliamentary elector means a
person entitled to be registered as a voter at a
parliamentary election;

The expression "election laws" means the laws
relating to the election of members to serve in 5
the Imperial Parliament other than those relating
to the qualification of electors, and includes all
the laws respecting the registration of electors,
the issue and execution of writs, the creation
of polling districts, the taking of the poll, the 10
questioning of elections, corrupt and illegal
practices, the oath, qualification and disquali-
fication of members, and the vacating of seats;
The expression "tax" includes all duties and fees;
The expression "Imperial Parliament " means the 15

Parliament of the United Kingdom;
The expression "Scottish Act" means the law made
by the King in the Scots Parliament;

The expression "Scottish Treasury means the Scottish department or officer by whatever 20 name called for the time being entrusted with the administration of Scottish finance;

66

The expression salary " includes remuneration allowances and emoluments;

The expression "pension " includes superannuation 25 allowance;

The expression "office " includes any place, situation or employment; and the expression "officer shall be construed accordingly.

31. In the case of any question arising in connection 30 with the Government of Scotland, which has not been dealt with in this Act, or regarding which the relative clauses in this Act are open to different interpretations, the such question shall be decided according to the principle that Scotland is a sovereign state whose 35 sovereignty is exercised on the authority of the Scottish Parliament.

32. This Act may be cited as the Government of Scotland Act, 1928.