Title and introductory text
2026 No. 1095
Constitutional Law
Devolution, Scotland
Forestry
The Scotland Act 1998 (Specification of Functions and Transfer of Property etc.) (Amendment) Order 2026
Made
14th October 2026
Laid before Parliament
16th October 2026
Laid before the Scottish Parliament
16th October 2026
Coming into force
5th December 2026
At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 14th day of October 2026
Present,
The King’s Most Excellent Majesty in Council
His Majesty, in exercise of the power conferred upon Him by section 93(3) of the Scotland Act 1998 is pleased, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, to order as follows.
Propose a change1 Citation, commencement and extent
(1) This Order may be cited as the Scotland Act 1998 (Specification of Functions and Transfer of Property etc.) (Amendment) Order 2026 and comes into force on 5th December 2026.
(2) This Order extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Propose a change2 Amendments to the Scotland Act 1998 (Specification of Functions and Transfer of Property etc.) Order 2019
(1) The Scotland Act 1998 (Specification of Functions and Transfer of Property etc.) Order 2019 is amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).
(2) In article 2 (interpretation)—
(a) after the definition of “excepted property” insert—
“forestry material” means—
wood which retains part or all of its natural round surface, with or without bark;
wood in the form of chips, particles, shavings, sawdust, wood waste or scrap;
trees;
bark which has been removed or become detached from a living, felled or fallen tree or from part of a living, felled or fallen tree;
“forestry professional operator” means a professional operator who carries out one or more of the following activities—
the introduction, movement or import of forestry material into Scotland;
the storage, aggregation or movement of forestry material within Scotland;
the movement or export of forestry material from Scotland;
the treatment and marking of wood packaging material or forestry material or the repair of wood packaging material in Scotland;
the introduction of tree pests into Scotland, the movement of tree pests within Scotland or the holding or multiplication of tree pests in Scotland for testing, scientific or educational purposes, trials, varietal selection or breeding;
;
(b) after the definition of “instrument” insert—
“tree” means a living tree or shrub, or a living part of a tree or shrub, at any stage of its growth;
“tree pest” means a plant pest which is injurious to trees or wood;
“wood packaging material” means wood or wood products (excluding paper products) used, or intended to be used, for supporting, protecting or carrying a commodity of any kind, including dunnage;
.
(3) In article 3 (specification of functions)—
(a) in paragraph (1) for “paragraph (2)” substitute “paragraphs (2) and (3)”;
(b) in paragraph (2)—
(i) omit sub-paragraph (c);
(ii) at the end of sub-paragraph (d) omit “and”;
(iii) after sub-paragraph (e) insert—
(f) the Scottish Ministers’ functions under or by virtue of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council on protective measures against pests of plants;
(g) the Scottish Ministers’ functions under or by virtue of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products; and
(h) the Scottish Ministers’ functions under the Plant Health (Official Controls and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Regulations 2019.
;
(c) after paragraph (2) insert—
(3) Any other function of the Scottish Ministers insofar as it relates to—
(a) the monitoring and control of tree pests;
(b) the promotion of tree health;
(c) the movement of forestry material;
(d) the regulation of forestry professional operators.
.
Propose a change