Detailed Commentary on Sections in Part 2 Supplementary Section 89: Rights and liabilities of the Crown in different capacities
310.The Crown was originally regarded as indivisible. The effect of devolution to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is however that the devolved administrations are, within the scopes of their respective powers, autonomous even though they exercise their functions on behalf of the Crown. In practice, therefore, each, together with the United Kingdom government, is a distinct entity and this section makes it clear that as far as legal rights and liabilities are concerned, each (“the Crown in right of Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom”, “the Crown in right of the Welsh Assembly Government” and so on) is to be treated as having separate legal personality. Property may be transferred between them, contracts between them may be entered into and they may be separate parties to legal proceedings.