Scotland revokes Good Food Nation Section 6 start

Scottish Ministers have issued regulations that stop Section 6 of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022 from starting on 16 December 2025. The new instrument-titled the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022 (Commencement No. 4) Revocation Regulations 2025-cancels the earlier Commencement No. 4 order. In practical terms, Section 6 will not begin on 16 December as previously scheduled, according to legislation.gov.uk.

If you teach or study public law, this is a timely example of how “commencement” works. When an Act receives Royal Assent, many sections do not switch on straight away. Ministers set a start date later by making a commencement regulation. Here, Commencement No. 4 appointed 16 December 2025 as the day for Section 6 to begin; with the revocation now made, the section remains listed as “prospective” (not yet in force) on legislation.gov.uk.

Revocation is the formal way to undo a legal instrument. Think of it as cancelling a scheduled start before it happens. The original instrument-the Commencement No. 4 regulations-set a date; the new revocation regulation removes that date. Nothing else in the Act is repealed here; the change targets only the scheduled start of Section 6.

So what does Section 6 do when active? It places a legal duty on the Scottish Ministers to have regard to the national Good Food Nation Plan when they exercise certain powers or duties. The Act calls these “specified functions” or functions within a “specified description”. In plain terms, when a ministerial decision touches food policy in a listed area, the Plan must be considered-and if Ministers depart from it, they should be able to explain why, as the Scottish Government’s overview notes.

What changes for learners and practitioners in the short term? The duty in Section 6 will not start on 16 December 2025, so Ministers will not yet be legally required to have regard to the Plan when exercising the functions that were expected to be covered. Other parts of the Act continue. The national plan has been laid before Parliament and is moving toward publication, and plan‑making and reporting duties elsewhere in the Act have already been commenced. For what is live now, check the commencement notes on legislation.gov.uk and the Scottish Government’s policy page.

Let’s use a classroom example. Imagine a new policy on school meals. With Section 6 in force, Ministers setting that policy would need to consider the national Plan and show reasons if they chose a different path. With the start date paused, it remains good practice to align with the Plan, but the legal duty to do so is not yet in effect.

You may also have seen draft regulations mapping which ministerial functions would count for Section 6. The Rural Affairs and Islands Committee scheduled scrutiny of those on 3 December 2025 and signalled they were intended to come into effect on 23 December, once the national Plan is finalised. Today’s revocation means the government timetable for switching Section 6 on will change, even if the mapping work continues.

What should you watch next? First, keep an eye on the Section 6 page on legislation.gov.uk; it shows whether a section is still “prospective” and lists any instrument that will bring it into force. Second, check the ‘new Scottish Statutory Instruments’ page, which flags the latest SIs as they are published. Third, follow the Scottish Government’s Good Food Nation pages for updates on the final Plan and guidance.

For your notes: the Commencement No. 4 regulations were made on 23 October 2025 and set 16 December 2025 as the start date for Section 6. The new revocation regulation removes that appointment, which is why Section 6 will not start on 16 December 2025. That is the practical outcome a reader should remember.

Key terms to remember for exams and staff briefings. Commencement: the legal start date for a section of an Act, set by a separate instrument. Revocation: the cancellation of a previously made instrument. Have regard: you must take a document into account and, if you depart from it, explain your reasons clearly, as the government’s Section 6 overview explains. This guide isn’t legal advice, but it should help you read future SIs with confidence.