
2025 No. 106 (C. 10)
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE
The Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2025
Made 1st April 2025
Laid before the Scottish Parliament 3rd April 2025
Coming into force 14th April 2025
The Scottish Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 73 of the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Act 2025 and all other powers enabling them to do so.
Citation, commencement and interpretation
1 

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2025 and come into force on 14 April 2025.
(2) In these Regulations “the Act” means the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Act 2025.
Appointed Days
2 

(1) The day appointed for the coming into force of the provisions of the Act specified in—
(a) column 1 of the table in Part 1 of the schedule is 14 April 2025,
(b) column 1 of the table in Part 2 of the schedule is 1 August 2025,
(c) column 1 of the table in Part 3 of the schedule is 1 October 2025.
(2) The subject matter of those provisions is specified in column 2 of those tables.
JAMIE HEPBURN
Authorised to sign by the Scottish Ministers
St Andrew's House,
Edinburgh
1st April 2025
Schedule
Tables of appointed days
Regulation 2
Part 1 Provisions coming into force on 14 April 2025

Column 1 Column 2
(Provisions of the Act) (Subject matter)
Sections 3, 4 and 5 Disqualification of MPs, members of the House of Lords and councillors
Section 22 Third parties capable of giving notification
Section 25 Code of practice on controls relating to third parties
Section 31 Rescheduling of by-elections
Section 34 Power of returning officer to postpone or cancel by-election
Section 35 Review of order of candidates on ballot papers used at elections
Section 39 Pilot scheme under the Scottish Local Government (Elections) Act 2002
Sections 40, 41, 42 and 43 Pilot for registration of electors
Section 44 Funding to increase democratic engagement
Section 45 Scottish Ministers’ power to make provision about elections under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004
Section 58 Guidance regarding information to be included with certain electronic material at Scottish elections
Section 60 Scottish Ministers regulation making powers
Section 61 Consequential revocations
Sections 64, 65, 66, 67 and 68 Electoral Commission
Part 2 Provisions coming into force on 1 August 2025

Column 1 Column 2
(Provisions of the Act) (Subject matter)
Sections 1 and 2 Candidacy rights etc. of foreign nationals
Sections 6 and 7 Disqualifications relating to sexual offences and notification requirements
Sections 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and the schedule Scottish disqualification orders
Sections 15, 16 and 17 Disqualification orders under the Elections Act 2022
Sections 18 and 19 Temporary relief from disqualification
Section 20 Ending the ambulatory effect of section 15 of the Scotland Act 1998
Section 21 Notional and third party expenditure: Scottish Parliament elections
Section 23 Restriction on which third parties may incur controlled expenditure
Section 24 Transitional provision: offences relating to third party expenditure
Section 26 Notional expenditure: local government elections
Sections 62 and 63 Boundaries Scotland
Part 3 Provisions coming into force on 1 October 2025

Column 1 Column 2
(Provisions of the Act) (Subject matter)
Section 27 Power of Presiding Officer to postpone ordinary election
Section 28 Power of Presiding Officer to schedule extraordinary general elections
Section 29 Election of new Presiding Officer: extension of period
Section 30 Choice of new First Minister after changed election date
Section 32 Power of convenor of Electoral Management Board to postpone ordinary local election
Section 33 Power of returning officer to postpone election for their area
Sections 36, 37 and 38 Home addresses of candidates and agents
Section 46 Access to Elected Office Fund
... ...