119.This section provides for statements made in a report published by the Chief Inspector to have absolute privilege (meaning they cannot form the basis of an action of defamation by any person referred to in those statements).
120.What is meant by a “statement” is “words, pictures, visual images, gestures or any other method of signifying meaning”. This definition is set out in section 36(b) of the Defamation and Malicious Publication (Scotland) Act 2021.
Overview of the Act Accountability Section 50 – Protection from actions of defamation