The Scottish Administration (Offices) 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, on the 14th day of October 2026 Present, The King's Most Excellent Majesty in Council

His Majesty, in exercise of the powers conferred on Him by section 126(8)(b) of the Scotland Act 1998[^f00001], is pleased, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, to order as follows.

Citation, commencement and extent

1

• (1) This Order may be cited as the Scottish Administration (Offices) Order 2026 and comes into force on 5th December 2026.

• (2) This Order extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Specification of offices

2

The following offices are specified for the purposes of section 126(8)(b) of the Scotland Act 1998 (offices in the Scottish Administration which are not ministerial offices)—

• (a) the Clerk of the Sexual Offences Court appointed under section 86(1) of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025[^f00002],

• (b) a Deputy Clerk of the Sexual Offences Court appointed under section 87(1) of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025.

Signed

Richard Tilbrook — Clerk of the Privy Council

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Explanatory Note

This Order specifies the Clerk of the Sexual Offences Court and Deputy Clerks of the Sexual Offences Court as offices in the Scottish Administration which are not ministerial offices for the purposes of the Scotland Act 1998.

Sections 86 and 87 of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 set out the arrangements for the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to appoint a Clerk of the Sexual Offences Court and Deputy Clerks of the Sexual Offences Court, respectively.

This Order is required to make the Clerk and Deputy Clerks of the Sexual Offences Court members of the Scottish Administration. These are new offices and are to be office holders in the Scottish Administration in the same way as the existing posts of—

• Principal, Depute, Assistant or other Clerk in the Justiciary Office of the High Court of Justiciary,

• Sheriff Clerk and Sheriff Clerk Depute,

• Clerk and Deputy Clerks of the Sheriff Appeal Court.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1998 c. 46.

[^f00002]: 2025 asp 12.