Citation, commencement etc.

1.-(1) This Act of Sederunt may be cited as the Act of Sederunt (Rules of the Court of Session and Sheriff Court Bankruptcy Rules Amendment) (Bankruptcy and Debt Advice (Scotland) Act 2014) 2015.

(2) It comes into force on 1st April 2015.

(3) A certified copy of this Act of Sederunt is to be inserted in the Books of Sederunt.

Amendment of Chapter 72 of the Rules of the Court of Session

2.-(1) Chapter 72 of the Rules of the Court of Session 1994 in Schedule 2 to the Act of Sederunt (Rules of the Court of Session 1994) 1994(4) is amended in accordance with the following subparagraph.

(2) For rule 72.2 (applications for replacement of trustee under section 28A of the Act of 1985), substitute-

"Determination etc. under section 28A of the Act of 1985: appeals and referrals

72.2.-(1) This rule applies to a petition containing-

(a)an appeal under section 28B(4) of the Act of 1985 (as read with section 28B(6)(a)); or

(b)a referral for a direction under section 28B(5) of the Act of 1985 (as read with section 28B(6)(a)).

(2) A petition to which this rule applies shall include a list of the sequestrations to which the petition relates.

(3) Where the court allows an appeal under section 28B(4)-

(a)the Accountant in Bankruptcy shall intimate a certified copy of the interlocutor of the court to the persons specified in section 28A(12) of the Act of 1985; and

(b)the court may make such orders as it thinks fit for the intimation and advertisement of its decision.".

Amendment of the Sheriff Court Bankruptcy Rules

3.-(1) The Sheriff Court Bankruptcy Rules in the Schedule to the Act of Sederunt (Sheriff Court Bankruptcy Rules) 2008(5) are amended in accordance with the following subparagraphs.

(2) In rule 1 (citation and interpretation), in the definition of "AIB sequestration", for "section 5(2)(a) or 6(3)(a), 4(a) or 6(a)" substitute "section 5(2)(a) or (3)(a) or section 6(3)(a), 4(za), 4(a) or 6(a)".

(3) In rule 3(2) (petitions for sequestration)-

(a)in subparagraph (i), for "section 5(2)(ii)" substitute "section 5(2)(b)(ii)";

(b)in subparagraph (ii), for "section 5(2)(iii)" substitute "section 5(2)(b)(iii)".

(4) In rule 5 (applications)-

(a)after paragraph (1) insert-

"(1A) An application by the Accountant in Bankruptcy for a direction under the following provisions of the Act of 1985 shall be in Form 5C-

(a)section 3(6) (trustee application to the sheriff for directions in relation to any particular matter)(6)

(b)section 3A(3) (application to Accountant in Bankruptcy for a direction)(7);

(c)section 28B(5) (replacement of trustee: application for direction)(8);

(d)section 29(6I) (removal of trustee and trustee not acting: application for direction)(9);

(e)section 42(2E) (contractual powers of trustee: application for direction)(10);

(f)paragraph 3(7) of Schedule 1 (debts depending on contingency: application for direction)(11).

(1B) Where the Accountant in Bankruptcy-

(a)remits an application made under section 17A of the Act of 1985 to the sheriff under section 17F(1); or

(b)before deciding under section 17E(6) whether to grant a recall of an award of sequestration, remits the case to the sheriff,

the remit shall be in Form 5D.".

(b)in paragraph (2), for "An application under paragraph (1)" substitute "An application under paragraphs (1) or (1A) or a remit under paragraph (1B)";

(c)in paragraph (3), for "An application under paragraph (1)" substitute "An application under paragraphs (1) or (1A) or a remit under paragraph (1B)";

(d)in paragraph (5), for "an application under paragraph (1)" substitute "an application under paragraphs (1) or (1A) or a remit under paragraph (1B)";

(e)in paragraph (8), for "an application under paragraph (1)" substitute "an application under paragraphs (1) or (1A) or a remit under paragraph (1B)".

(5) Omit rule 6 (application to determine amount for aliment and obligations, etc.).

(6) For rule 8(1) (appeals to the sheriff principal and the Court of Session), substitute-

"(1) An appeal under the following provisions of the Act of 1985 shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this rule-

(a)section 15(2A) (order transferring sequestration)(12);

(b)section 15(3) (refusing to award)(13);

(c)section 30(8) (removing commissioner)(14);

(d)section 56J(2) (refusal to annul bankruptcy restrictions order or interim bankruptcy restrictions order)(15).".

(7) For rule 8(6) (appeals: written notice of appeal), substitute-

"(6) Within the period of four days mentioned in paragraph (5), the sheriff clerk shall send written notice of appeal-

(a)in an appeal under section 15(3) of the Act of 1985, to any concurring creditor and the debtor, as the case may be;

(b)in an appeal under section 30(8) of the Act of 1985, to the trustee, the Accountant in Bankruptcy, any commissioner and any creditor;

(c)in an appeal under section 56J(2) of the Act of 1985, to the Accountant in Bankruptcy and the trustee.".

(8) In rule 12 (approved debt payment programmes)-

(a)in paragraph (1) after "at that date" insert "the debtor has not given a notice to the Accountant in Bankruptcy in accordance with section 4A(1) of the Act of 1985, and";

(b)the heading to the rule becomes "Statement to be lodged by creditor".

(9) In rule 15(1)(a) (representation), after "section 12" insert "or section 54B(6)".

(10) In Appendix 1-

(a)in Form 1 (form of petition by qualified creditor(s) under section 5(2)(b)(i) of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985)(16), for statement 2 of the Statement of Facts, substitute-

"

".

(b)after Form 5B (form of certificate of citation)(17), insert Forms 5C and 5D set out in the Schedule to this Act of Sederunt;

(c)for Form 12 (form of statement to be lodged by creditor petitioning for sequestration), substitute Form 12 set out in the Schedule to this Act of Sederunt.

Saving provision

4.  The Act of Sederunt (Sheriff Court Bankruptcy Rules) 2008 and Chapter 72 of the Rules of the Court of Session 1994 as they applied immediately before 1st April 2015 continue to apply to any sequestration where-

(a)the petition was presented before that date; or

(b)an application to the Accountant in Bankruptcy under section 5(2)(a) or section 6(3)(a), (4)(a) or (6)(a) of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985) was made before that date.

Paragraph 3(10)

SCHEDULE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Act of Sederunt)

This Act of Sederunt amends the Act of Sederunt (Sheriff Court Bankruptcy Rules) 2008 ("the Sheriff Court Bankruptcy Rules") and Chapter 72 of the Rules of the Court of Session 1994 ("the RCS") in consequence of amendments to the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985 ("the 1985 Act") made by the Bankruptcy and Debt Advice (Scotland) Act 2014 ("the 2014 Act").

Certain functions that were previously carried out by the court have been transferred by the 2014 Act to the Accountant in Bankruptcy.

To reflect this, Rule 72.2 of the RCS (applications for replacement of trustee under section 28A of the 1985 Act) has been amended to make provision for (i) specified persons to make an appeal under section 28B(4) of the 1985 Act; and (ii) the Accountant in Bankruptcy to refer a case to the court for a direction under section 28B(5) of the 1985 Act.

Rule 5 (applications) of the Sheriff Court Bankruptcy Rules have similarly been amended to provide a mechanism for the Accountant in Bankruptcy to (i) make a referral for a direction from the sheriff under various provisions of the 1985 Act; and (ii) in relation to a recall of an award of sequestration, to remit an application or case to the sheriff. New Forms 5C (referral) and 5D (remit) are set out in the Schedule to this Act of Sederunt. Rule 12(1) (approved debt payment programmes) has been expanded to oblige the creditor to check that, at the date of lodging the petition, the debtor has not given a notice to the Accountant in Bankruptcy in accordance with section 4A(1) of the 1985 Act.