The purpose of the Bill is to complete a series of changes in the way that the Trust is governed following a strategic review in 2009/10 led by the Rt Hon Sir George Reid. The Bill will implement the final recommendations of the review which cannot be introduced without changes being made to the Act of Parliament governing the Trust. The Bill will alter the status of the Trust's president and vice-presidents so that they do not have the status of charity trustees; allow co-opted Trustees to serve for a longer maximum term; formally abolish representative membership of the Board; and validate the Trust's customary abbreviation of its formal name to 'the National Trust for Scotland'. The work of the Trust, and the charitable causes it advances, will not change.
The Bill will be accompanied by Explanatory Notes, a Promoter's Memorandum, a Promoter's Statement, statements on the legislative competence of the Bill, and an Assignation of copyright and licensing agreement.
From the day after introduction, the Bill and these documents will be available free of charge on the Parliament's website (www.scottish.parliament.uk). All of these documents will also be available from that date for inspection at a public library in each constituency, and details of the relevant library in each constituency can be obtained below. In addition, all of these documents will be available from that date for inspection during office hours at the Trust's offices at Hermiston Quay, 5 Cultins Road, Edinburgh EH11 4DF and will be available here on this page of our website (www.nts.org.uk/legislation).
There is a 60 day period for objections that starts the day after the Bill is introduced. Objections must be accompanied by a fee of £20 and lodged with the Non-Government Bills Unit (Non-Government Bills Unit, The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP, 0131 348 6124, ngbu@scottish.parliament.uk) from whom additional information, including details of admissibility criteria for objections, detailed guidance about procedures and an information leaflet for objectors, can be obtained. Additional information about the content of the Bill may be obtained from the Trust at the address above.
Adverts regarding the proposed Bill containing the information above appeared in the Scotsman and the Herald on 21st and 28th December 2012, and a notice appeared at a public library in each constituency from 20th December 2012. The Bill is the culmination of a long consultation and approval process which is set out in full in the Promoter's Statement and Promoter's Memorandum which will be published along with the Bill when it is introduced in the Scottish Parliament. However, if you have any queries about this then please email legislation@nts.org.uk or call 0844 493 2285.
Parliamentary Documents
The Bill and supporting documents are available at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/Bills/576.aspx
Additional Documents
You may find it helpful to review the following documents in relation to the legislative change.
- Extract Minute of the Trust's 2009 AGM
- Fit for Purpose: Report of the Strategic Review of the National Trust for Scotland
- The Strategic Review: Recommendations for the National Trust for Scotland, August 2010
- Notice of the Trust's 2010 AGM
- Extract Minute of the Trust's 2010 AGM
- Scotland in Trust, Summer 2012 edition
- Responses received to the Scotland in Trust consultation (anonymised)
- Notice of the Trust's 2012 AGM
- Extract Minute of the Trust's 2012 AGM
- List of libraries displaying Notice
- NTS Order Confirmation Acts Consolidated 1935 to 1973
- Second Schedule (as amended April 2013)
- NTS Order Confirmation Act 1935
- NTS Order Confirmation Act 1938
- NTS Order Confirmation Act 1947
- NTS Order Confirmation Act 1952
- NTS Order Confirmation Act 1961
- NTS Order Confirmation Act 1973
