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Legislation (Wales) Act 2019

Current text a fecha 2019-10-11

PART 1 — ACCESSIBILITY OF WELSH LAW

Duty to keep accessibility of Welsh law under review

1

Programme to improve accessibility of Welsh law

2

PART 2 — INTERPRETATION AND OPERATION OF WELSH LEGISLATION

Application and effect of Part

Legislation to which this Part applies

3

Effect of provisions in this Part

4

Bilingual Welsh legislation

Equal status of Welsh and English language texts

5

Meaning of words and expressions used in Welsh legislation

Definitions of words and expressions

6

Words in the singular include the plural and vice versa

7

In an Assembly Act or a Welsh subordinate instrument—

Words denoting a gender are not limited to that gender

8

In an Assembly Act or a Welsh subordinate instrument, words denoting persons of a particular gender are not to be read as limited to persons of that gender.

Variations of a word or expression due to grammar etc.

9

Where a word or expression in an Assembly Act or a Welsh subordinate instrument is given a meaning by an enactment, other parts of speech and grammatical forms or modifications of the word or expression are to be interpreted in accordance with that meaning.

References to time of day

10

A reference to the time of day in an Assembly Act or a Welsh subordinate instrument is a reference to Greenwich mean time; but this is subject to section 3 of the Summer Time Act 1972 (c. 6) (points of time during the period of summer time).

References to the Sovereign

11

A reference to the Sovereign in an Assembly Act or a Welsh subordinate instrument is to be read as a reference to the Sovereign for the time being.

Measurement of distance

12

A reference to a distance in an Assembly Act or a Welsh subordinate instrument is a reference to that distance measured in a straight line on a horizontal plane.

Service of documents by post or electronically

Service of documents by post or electronically

13

Day on which service is deemed to be effected

14

Where a document is served by post or electronically under an Assembly Act or a Welsh subordinate instrument, service is deemed to be effected, unless the contrary is proved—

Powers and duties

Continuity of powers and duties

15

Exercise of a power or duty that is not in force

16

at or after the time when the Act, instrument or provision comes into force.

that provision is to be treated as being in force so far as is necessary for the exercise of the power or duty in accordance with this section.

Inclusion of sunset provisions and review provisions in subordinate legislation

17

Revoking, amending and re-enacting subordinate legislation

18

Amendment of subordinate legislation by an Assembly Act

19

The amendment or revocation of subordinate legislation by an Assembly Act does not limit or otherwise affect the power or duty under which the subordinate legislation was made.

Varying and withdrawing directions

20

References in Welsh legislation to legislation and other documents

References to portions of enactments, instruments and documents

21

the portion includes the words, sections or other parts referred to.

Edition of Assembly Act or Assembly Measure referred to

22

Edition of Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom referred to

23

References to direct EU legislation retained in domestic law after EU exit

24

References to enactments are to enactments as amended

25

References to EU instruments

26

Duplication of criminal offences

Duplicated offences

27

a person is liable to be prosecuted and punished under either or any of those Acts or instruments or at common law, but cannot be punished more than once for the same offence.

Application to the Crown

Application of Welsh legislation to the Crown

28

Coming into force of legislation

Time when Welsh legislation comes into force

29

Where—

comes into force on a day provided for in an enactment, the Act, instrument or provision comes into force at the beginning of that day.

Day on which an Assembly Act comes into force

30

Where the coming into force of an Assembly Act, or of a provision in an Assembly Act, is not provided for in an enactment, the Act or provision comes into force at the beginning of the day after the day on which the Act receives Royal Assent.

Orders and regulations bringing Assembly Acts into force

31

Where an Assembly Act provides for an order or regulations to appoint—

the order or regulations may appoint different days for different purposes.

Amendment, repeal and revocation of legislation

Amendments made to or by Welsh legislation

32

Repeals and revocations do not revive law previously repealed, revoked or abolished

33

Where—

the repeal or revocation of A does not revive B or C.

General savings in connection with repeals and revocations

34

and any such investigation, legal proceeding or remedy may be instituted, continued or enforced, and any such penalty, forfeiture or punishment may be imposed, as if the repeal or revocation had not occurred.

Effect of re-enactment

35

Referring to an Assembly Act by its short title after repeal

36

An Assembly Act may continue to be referred to by the short title conferred on it by an enactment despite the repeal of that enactment.

Meaning of repeal and revocation in this Part

37

PART 3 — MISCELLANEOUS

Power to replace descriptions of dates and times in Welsh legislation

38

Power to make subordinate legislation in different forms

39

Combining subordinate legislation subject to different Assembly procedures

40

PART 4 — GENERAL

Consequential amendments and repeals

41

Schedule 2 contains consequential amendments and repeals.

Power to make additional provision to give full effect to this Act

42

Regulations made under this Act

43

Coming into force of this Act

44

Short title

45

The short title of this Act is the Legislation (Wales) Act 2019.

SCHEDULE 1

SCHEDULE 2

Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30)

1

For section 23B of the Interpretation Act 1978 (application of Act to Measures and Acts of the National Assembly for Wales etc.) substitute—

(23B) (1) The provisions of this Act, except sections 1 to 3, apply to the following as they apply to an Act— (a) a Measure of the National Assembly for Wales, and (b) an Act of the National Assembly for Wales, other than the Legislation (Wales) Act 2019, which receives Royal Assent before the day on which Part 2 of that Act (interpretation and operation of Welsh legislation) comes fully into force. (2) The provisions of this Act apply to an instrument— (a) made under a Measure or Act of the National Assembly for Wales, and (b) made before the day on which Part 2 of the Legislation (Wales) Act 2019 comes fully into force, as they apply to other subordinate legislation. (3) The provisions of this Act apply to an instrument made under an Act of Parliament or retained direct EU legislation, and made by the Welsh Ministers or any other devolved Welsh authority, only if— (a) the instrument is made before the day on which Part 2 of the Legislation (Wales) Act 2019 comes fully into force, (b) the instrument is made (at any time) with any other person who is not a devolved Welsh authority, or (c) the instrument contains any provision that applies otherwise than in relation to Wales. (4) Nothing in subsection (2) or (3) limits the operation of sections 12 to 14A in relation to a power or duty to make an instrument to which Part 2 of the Legislation (Wales) Act 2019 applies, but section 11 does not apply in relation to such an instrument. (5) In the application of this Act to a Measure or Act of the National Assembly for Wales, references to the passing of an Act or an enactment are to be read as references to the enactment of the Measure or Act. (6) In this section, “devolved Welsh authority” and “Wales” have the same meanings as in the Government of Wales Act 2006 (see sections 157A and 158 of that Act). (23C) (1) In this Act, references to an enactment include an enactment comprised in— (a) a Measure of the National Assembly for Wales, (b) an Act of the National Assembly for Wales (whenever the Act receives Royal Assent), (c) an instrument made under such an Act or Measure (whenever the instrument is made), or (d) an instrument made under an Act of Parliament or retained direct EU legislation, and made by the Welsh Ministers or any other devolved Welsh authority (whenever the instrument is made, and whether or not it is made with any other person), but the reference in section 16(2) to a temporary enactment does not include an enactment comprised in legislation to which Part 2 of the Legislation (Wales) Act 2019 applies (see section 3(1) of that Act). (2) In section 17(2)(b), the reference to subordinate legislation includes an instrument to which Part 2 of the Legislation (Wales) Act 2019 applies. (3) In section 18, the reference to an act or omission which constitutes an offence under two or more Acts includes an act or omission which constitutes an offence under— (a) any legislation to which that section applies, and (b) any legislation to which Part 2 of the Legislation (Wales) Act 2019 applies, and the reference to “those Acts” is to be read accordingly. (4) In section 19(1), references to “another Act” include— (a) a Measure of the National Assembly for Wales, and (b) an Act of the National Assembly for Wales (whenever the Act receives Royal Assent), and the reference in paragraph (c) to “Acts” is to be read accordingly.

Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32)

2

(1A) Subsection (1) does not apply to any legislation to which Part 2 of the Legislation (Wales) Act 2019 applies (but section 5 of that Act makes corresponding provision in relation to legislation to which that Part applies).

;

Waste (Wales) Measure 2010 (nawm 8)

3

Programme to improve accessibility of Welsh law

Measurement of distance

References to EU instruments

Application of Welsh legislation to the Crown

Power to make subordinate legislation in different forms

Power to make additional provision to give full effect to this Act

Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30)

Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32)

Waste (Wales) Measure 2010 (nawm 8)

Editorial notes

[^c23844161]: S. 3 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844171]: S. 4 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844181]: S. 5 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844191]: S. 6(1) in force for specified purposes and s. 6(2)(3) in force at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(b)(c)

[^c23844201]: S. 7 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844211]: S. 8 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844221]: S. 9 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844231]: S. 10 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844241]: S. 11 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844251]: S. 12 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844261]: S. 13 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844271]: S. 14 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844281]: S. 15 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844291]: S. 16 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844301]: S. 17 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844311]: S. 18 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844321]: S. 19 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844331]: S. 20 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844341]: S. 21 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844351]: S. 22 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844361]: S. 23 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844371]: S. 24 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844381]: S. 25 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844391]: S. 26 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844401]: S. 27 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844411]: S. 28 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844421]: S. 29 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844431]: S. 30 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844441]: S. 31 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844451]: S. 32 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844461]: S. 33 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844471]: S. 34 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844481]: S. 35 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844491]: S. 36 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844501]: S. 37 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^c23844511]: Sch. 1 in force for specified purposes at 11.9.2019, see s. 44(1)(c)

[^key-43d88aab42bdf693dda7cd9ee7992d71]: Words in s. 3(1)(b) substituted (11.10.2019) by The Legislation (Wales) Act 2019 (Commencement) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/1333), arts. 1(2), 3(a)

[^key-f3cfa6d08e012b7fef1fbf63f0622ae7]: Words in s. 3(1)(c) substituted (11.10.2019) by The Legislation (Wales) Act 2019 (Commencement) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/1333), arts. 1(2), 3(b)