The purpose of the Act is to establish a Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland, to abolish 5 Non-Departmental Public Bodies (the Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland, the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland, the Scottish Hospital Trust, the Scottish Medical Practices Committee and the Scottish Conveyancing and Executry Services Board), to give certain notarial powers to independent qualified conveyancers and to conveyancing and executry practitioners, and to create a new statutory Non Departmental Public Body to succeed the Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland and Historic Buildings Council for Scotland. This body will be known as the Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland.
The Act is in three parts. Part 1 looks at the functions of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland; Part 2 examines the provisions for certain public bodies, including Health Service bodies, Law Society functions and the Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland. Part 3 looks at General Provisions.