ART 3 P UYING AND SELLING ETC.: GOOD PRACTICE B 20 20 Making of code of practice (1) The Scottish Ministers must make a code setting out good practice— (a) for a person to follow where the person is considering acquiring a dog to keep as a pet, and (b) for a person to follow where the person is considering selling or giving away a 25 dog to another person who it appears would keep the dog as a pet. (2) The code of practice must give effect to the material in the schedule. (3) Before making the code of practice, the Scottish Ministers must consult such persons as they consider appropriate. (4) The code of practice is to come into effect on a date, specified in it, that is no later than 30 6 months after Royal Assent. (5) The Scottish Ministers must publish the code of practice. (6) The references in sections 21 and 22 to “the code of practice” are to the code of practice made under this section. 21 Revision of code of practice 35 (1) Other than in respect of the material in the schedule, the Scottish Ministers may revise the code of practice as it has effect for the time being. (2) Before revising the code of practice, the Scottish Ministers must consult such persons as they consider appropriate. (3) A revised code of practice is to come into effect on such date as is specified in it. 10 Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Bill Part 4—General provisions (4) Whenever the code of practice is revised, the Scottish Ministers must re-publish the code of practice as revised. (5) Subsection (4) does not apply if the Scottish Ministers consider that none of the revisions materially alters the effect of the code of practice. 5 22 Effect of code of practice (1) A person’s failure to comply with any provision of the code of practice does not of itself render the person liable to proceedings of any sort. (2) In any proceedings for a relevant offence— (a) failure to comply with a relevant provision of the code of practice may be relied 10 on as tending to establish liability, (b) compliance with a relevant provision of the code of practice may be relied on as tending to negative liability. (3) A “relevant offence” is an offence under— (a) Part 2 of the 2006 Act, or 15 (b) regulations under section 26 or 27 of that Act. (4) The references in this section to the code of practice are to it as it has effect at the time of the failure to comply, or the compliance, concerned.