This is a single section from Chapter 13. Read the full chapter here.

Have the rules that apply to the commencement been considered?

The rules that apply to the commencement should be considered when designing legislation.

Part 2 (sections 25 to 29) sets rules for the commencement of legislation. This includes rules that give effect to the commencement stated or provided for in the legislation, default rules for commencement if the legislation does not state or provide for commencement and further detail for the effective operation and application of those rules.

Generally, legislation or part of the legislation comes into force on the date stated or provided in the legislation. If an Act does not state or provide for a commencement date it comes into force on the day after Royal assent. If secondary legislation does not state or provide for commencement, it comes into force on the day after it is published or first made available           

There are rules for the time at which legislation commences and when legislation commences if calculated by a number of months.

There is also a power to make an Order in Council bringing legislation into force, which is capable of being used more than once and includes the ability to make one or more orders setting different dates for different provisions.

 [See supplementary material: Guidance on commencement clauses]

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