Background to and Summary of the Act Summary of the Act
12.The Act provides for the establishment of a register of interests for members of the Scottish Parliament. It provides a system for the registration and declaration of financial interests. It provides for entries in the register to be added, amended, corrected and deleted. It also prohibits advocacy by members in return for payment or benefit in kind. Finally, the Act enables parliamentary sanctions to be imposed if a member contravenes the provisions of the Act. Criminal penalties are already imposed for non-compliance with the provisions contained in section 39(6) of the 1998 Act in relation to the registration and declaration of financial interests and paid advocacy and the existence of the penalties is not a matter which the Scottish Parliament has the power to amend. The Act makes it clear which of its provisions fall within the ambit of the penalties imposed by section 39. The Act also appoints a day when the Order ceases to have effect.