The Act, in tandem with the International Criminal Court Act 2001 ('the UK Act'), will enable the United Kingdom to ratify the Statute of the International Criminal Court, which was adopted on 17 July 1998 at Rome.
The Act is in four parts. Part 1 incorporates into domestic law the offences of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, and offences against the administration of justice of the International Criminal Court (ICC); Part 2 provides for various forms of co-operation with ICC investigations; Part 3 makes provision in relation to prisoners convicted by the ICC or certain UN tribunals who, by virtue of warrants issued by the Scottish Ministers under the UK Act, are serving their sentences in Scotland; and also confers power to make subordinate legislation for the enforcement of fines, forfeitures and reparations ordered by the ICC or the UN tribunals; Part 4 defines certain expressions used in the Act; makes provision for proof of orders, judgements, warrants or requests of the ICC and evidence about ICC proceedings.