Part 1: Sentencing of terrorist offenders Section 12: Minimum punishment part for serious terrorism offenders: Scotland
Section 12 creates the minimum 14-year custodial term to be imposed as the punishment part of the sentence for a serious terrorism offender who would otherwise receive a serious terrorism sentence but is given a life sentence or an Order for Lifelong Restriction in Scotland. It inserts new section 205ZB into the 1993 Act. This is to ensure consistency in the minimum term imposed on those convicted of serious terrorism offences.
	New section 205ZB,(3) provides that the punishment part may be less than 14 years where the court considers there are exceptional circumstances which justify not doing so.
	New section 205ZB(4) sets out that prior to imposing a sentence of imprisonment for life, the court must consider a report by a relevant officer from the local authority about the offender and their circumstances, and if the court thinks it necessary hear that officer. New subsection (5) defines local authority and relevant officer as set out in section 27 of the 1993 Act.